Tounde Yessoufou Just Entered the Portal Hours Before the Deadline and Nobody Knows If He's Actually Leaving

The 2026 college basketball transfer portal window just slammed shut, and Baylor's Tounde Yessoufou pulled off one of the wildest last-minute moves of the cycle. The five-star declared for the NBA Draft with literally hours to spare before Tuesday night's cutoff, instantly becoming one of the most intriguing "wait and see" stories heading into the offseason.

Here's the thing: Yessoufou isn't locked in on the NBA. He's just testing the waters, and the smart money says he's coming back to college hoops next season.

The Numbers Tell You Everything About Why Schools Are Already Circling

As a true freshman at Baylor, Yessoufou averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. He shot 46.5% from the field and 29.3% from three on 5.3 attempts per night. Those aren't just solid freshman numbers, they're the kind of stats that make Power Six programs start clearing roster spots.

He was a five-star prospect coming into the 2025 class, and he backed it up immediately. That's elite talent coming into his second year of college basketball.

The Draft Reality Check Is Coming This Summer

Here's where it gets interesting: Yessoufou is ranked No. 32 on CBS Sports' NBA Draft big board, and he's not projected as a first-round pick in either of their latest mock drafts. The NBA Combine runs May 10-17 in Chicago, and the deadline to withdraw and keep college eligibility is 11:59 p.m. ET on May 27.

According to 247Sports national basketball analyst Travis Branham, "Most of these players going through the NBA Draft process want to go to the NBA. I'm anticipating Yessoufou's recruitment will drag a little bit until he realizes it's probably better to come back to college next season. If I were a betting man, I'd be betting he's in college basketball in 2026-27."

That's not a maybe. That's an expert saying the kid's probably back in the college game come next fall, and when he makes that call, one major program is already prepared to make a serious run at landing him. Watch this space.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.