NCAA Basketball Recruiting: Analyzing 10 teams in play for 5-star 2025 guard/forward Tounde Yessoufou

UCLA Bruins

Coach Mick Cronin has had mixed results with past five-star prospects, such as Amari Bailey and Peyton Watson. Part of that had to do with the surrounding depth and veterans that have limited their roles. Next season’s roster will have plenty of depth as well, with just USC transfer Kobe Johnson and Lazar Stefanovic being true seniors. With everyone else able to return, Yessoufou would have to settle for a smaller role compared to the other options.

USC Trojans

If Yessoufou really wants to be in Los Angeles, USC may be the more appealing option. Yes, new coach Eric Musselman also usually has plenty of roster depth due to the transfers he adds each offseason but many of those are seniors, including Chibuzo Agbo and Saint Thomas. He gives them a big wing option, the type of player that Coach Musselman thrives with.

Washington Huskies

It’s a new era at Washington, with HC Danny Sprinkle taking over and adding a bunch of transfers, including forward transfer, Great Osobor. There are also players such as Tyree Ihenacho and Lui Kortnight, who each will be gone after next season. What makes this option different is that they’re rebuilding to a point where Yessoufou could very well be the best player on the team a year from now.

Of course, the Huskies are building to the point of being competitive in the Big Ten, so their odds of winning might not be as high as the other options. But compared to the other newcomers to the league from Los Angeles, playing time won’t be a question.