Top-25 recruit Tounde Yessoufou discusses interest in “dream school” Kentucky
Kentucky and Mark Pope have made a lasting impression on Yessoufou.
Class of 2025 prospect Tounde Yessoufou has had a long affinity for the Kentucky Wildcats basketball program.
The West African native, who is from Benin, came to Santa Maria, California, just three years ago to begin his high school career at St. Joseph. According to 247 Sports Composite, the 6-foot-6 forward is presently rated 22nd in the country.
During the weekend, Yessoufou talked with KSR about how much he loved and connected to the Kentucky program.
“My family has never had a basketball player. It’s amazing, I just saw it,” he remarked. “I knew I wanted to give it everything I had. Kentucky was undoubtedly the most popular topic I researched and followed on social media when I first moved to the United States. It seems like a wonderful opportunity to be among folks who think like that.
However, that was under an old regime. Old coach, old staff, old (younger) players. Now? Mark Pope is at the helm for the Wildcats, and John Calipari is at Arkansas — so Pope made it a mission to make a good first impression on Yessoufou at the EYBL in Indianapolis.
Yessoufou said to KSR, “We’re bonding and building a great relationship.” They adore my intense style of play, for sure. It’s evident that I play hard and aim to demolish everyone in my path as I walk on the floor. They adore my vigor.
Even after John Calipari left, it appears that Yessoufou was deeply impacted by Kentucky and Pope. Yessoufou continued by saying that, as a child, Kentucky was his ideal school.
Naturally, the emerging star will be considering other institutions, primarily Arizona, where he is scheduled to make a visit in the upcoming weeks.
Could the Wildcats’ ideal school scenario finally come to pass? We’ll find out in time.
