We have observed the impressive work Mark Pope has done in quickly putting together a team from college basketball transfers and remaining players after John Calipari left. However, it's still uncertain if he can successfully attract top players to Kentucky. college hoops transfers and leftovers as a result of John Calipari's departure. However, it remains to be seen if he can recruit talented players for Kentucky effectively. on commitments from the nation’s top players. There is one ongoing test case, though: California prep wing Tounde Yessoufou
Yessoufou is rated No. 25 overall by ESPN, a four-star recruit and one of the top wing players in the nation. He is No. 16 at On3 Sports, and at 24/7, he is ranked No. 38 nationally. Beauty in the eye of the beholder and all that.
He is a top player, and information from the recruiting site League Ready suggests that Pope and the new UK staff are making an effort to recruit Yessoufou.
A post on Twitter/X from 24/7 High School Hoops: indicates that “2025 Top-25 recruit Tounde Yessoufou mentions that he’s receiving the most attention from these schools: Kentucky Tennessee Arizona Texas UCLA USC Stanford. @LeagueRDY “Yessoufou is a tough, physical forward who has been one of the top players on the
through the first two sessions. A name to watch.” @NikeEYB Mark Pope's Ability to Attract Kentucky Recruits Will Be Put to the Test
Pope is someone to keep an eye on regarding Yessoufou's decision and recruiting in general. He is starting this season with some leeway, but that leniency will expire soon. Kentucky is not included in the initial Top 25 rankings of any major site, such as ESPN, CBS, and On3 Sports.
That’s not a criticism in itself. Pope doesn't necessarily have to have Kentucky listed in the same breath as every top prospect in the nation, as Calipari did. However, he must be able to outcompete other leading programs for the players he believes best suit his style of play.
Yessoufou could be one.
“I play really hard, especially on defense,” Yessoufou shared with On3. “I keep myself going by locking people up, getting rebounds, and pushing it. On offense, I try to attack the basket and get the other team in foul trouble, and make my free throws. My biggest improvement this year is reading the game. Know when to go and push it and when to slow it down.”
He plays with considerable size and power, per NBA Draft Room: “Tounde is a big-bodied and powerful small forward who is a load to handle when he gets downhill and takes the ball to the basket. At this point he does most of his scoring in the lane, using his size and power to punish defenders on his way to the rim.”
Tounde Yessoufou Will Be Hotly Contested Yessoufou has not yet visited Kentucky, nor has he received an offer from the team. While he has only taken an official visit to Washington last year, there will be a lot of competition. Yessoufou mentioned that he has a visit scheduled with Arizona and has been in close communication with coaches at Kansas.Former Arkansas coach Eric Musselman, whose departure led to Calipari leaving Lexington for Fayetteville, is also reaching out to Yessoufou, hoping to persuade him to stay in Southern California.
According to the
On3 site KSR
, it is expected that assistant coach Jason Hart, an esteemed NBA veteran who attended high school in Inglewood, will be involved in recruiting Yessoufou.
“We can expect Kentucky assistant coach Jason Hart — who is from California and has been coaching in the area for more than ten years — to take the lead in this recruitment,” the site stated. Kentucky's recruiting strength will be put to the test under coach Mark Pope, and the recruitment of 4-star California wing Tounde Yessoufou will be an important case to follow., the expectation is that assistant coach Jason Hart, a respected NBA veteran who went to high school in Inglewood, will work the recruitment of Yessoufou.
“We can anticipate Kentucky assistant coach Jason Hart — who hails from California and has coached in the area for over a decade — to lead the charge in this recruitment,” the site wrote.
