As former Baylor University basketball player Tounde Yessoufou's 2026 NBA Draft stock dropped over questions about his three-point shooting, ballhandling and passing, his perceived value within the collegiate transfer portal apparently never waivered.
As reported by Ricky O'Donnell of SB Nation, Yessoufou delayed his NBA consideration and transferred to St. John’s at the college withdrawal deadline this week. As a result, he will reportedly make “upwards of $7 million” playing for St. John’s next season, according to reporter Aaron Heisen. "It’s a shocking figure, but that’s what talent goes for in today’s era of college hoops," O'Donnell wrote Thursday.
O'Donnell also pointed to Thomas Haugh, who was reportedly paid at least $8 million to bypass the 2026 NBA Draft and return to the Unviersity of Florida. "Haugh was a projected lottery pick, while Yessoufou was likely going in the late 20s or even the early second-round if he kept his name in," O'Donnell wrote. "This deal immediately makes him one of the highest paid players in college basketball history."
"The money running through college basketball is mind-blowing right now," he concluded. "The Johnnies came up with the cash, and they landed one of the best available players in the country over the NBA."
