I know it’s been run into the ground by now, but the unfortunate importance of Donnie Freeman deciding to commit to St John’s, after Mark Pope had put everything on the line to land him, cannot be understated. What started as a solid portal class for Pope’s third season quickly gave way to panic generated by a near-empty frontcourt.
BBN, you can be excused for hitting the big blue panic button, at least initially. But one last-second portal entrant may have come at the most opportune time possible for Kentucky; former Wildcat target and seemingly NBA-bound wing Tounde Yessoufou is officially available.
If you’re Mark Pope, this is not only where you make your ground back up, but where the structure of your entire roster changes. Adding the former Baylor star to the current mix would undoubtedly be the biggest move of the offseason yet and, in an instant, raise expectations to a significant degree.
Tounde Yessoufou Can Change Kentucky’s Offseason
Yessoufou going portalin’, as was confirmed by On3 and Pete Nakos on X just hours before the deadline to do so, sent shockwaves throughout the transfer portal. A number of fanbases jumped on the hope that their favorite programs may get involved, but things are slightly different, and more dire, for Kentucky.
Not only would Yessoufou be an as good, if not better addition than the aforementioned Freeman, but he’s already expressed interest in Kentucky before. If the multi-level threat forward doesn’t end up in the NBA Draft, this is a “blank check” opportunity for Pope to save Kentucky’s offseason before things fly truly off the rails.
“We’re bonding and building a great relationship,” the wing said of Pope (per KSR) back in 2024, prior to his eventual commitment to Baylor. “That [Kentucky] was my dream school when I came to the United States,” he continued.
A Dream School Scenario
Having averaged just under 18 points and six boards this past season with the Bears, Yessoufou has exhibited more than enough to warrant Kentucky going all-in on him. Now, it’s a matter of beating out other inevitable suitors in the process.
And, while he entered the portal with a “Do Not Contact” tag, Kentucky is still likely to get involved in an effort to rekindle the prior connection between the two parties.
While it’s currently a shot in the dark as to whether or not Kentucky actually has a shot to land Yessoufou, he’s the kind of no-ceiling player that you go all out for. If this thing ends in a bidding war, it’s one Mark Pope and his staff shouldn’t be afraid to fight in.
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