Former Drake point guard Joseph Yesufu picks KU Jayhawks: ‘Can’t wait to get started’
Former Drake point guard Joseph Yesufu has orally committed to play basketball at Kansas, Yesufu announced Wednesday on Twitter.
Yesufu, a 6-foot sophomore from Bolingbrook, Illinois, chose KU over USC and Georgia. He also considered Texas, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arizona State, Washington State and Wisconsin.
“I chose Kansas because I’m trying to be a better player, better person,” Yesufu said in a phone conversation. “Coach (Bill) Self gives me the opportunity to do so. I’m trying to help the team and make the fans proud,” he added.
Yesufu averaged 12.8 points, 1.8 assists and 1.8 rebounds a game this past season for the 26-5 Bulldogs. The Missouri Valley Conference’s sixth man of the year started seven games after Roman Penn suffered a broken foot in late February.
Yesufu averaged 23.2 points in the last nine games of the season. He hit four or more threes in five of those nine games.
For the year, Yesufu hit 44.2% of his shots. He made 48 of 125 threes for 38.4% and 69 of 85 free throws for 81.2%. Yesufu dished 56 assists to 37 turnovers with 33 steals.
He said he is “very excited. I can’t wait to get started with the team.”
Yesufu entered his name in the transfer portal last Thursday and spoke to Self on Friday.
“Coach Self said I have to work for everything. He said, ‘Be ready. We’re trying to go places, trying to win a national championship this coming year,’’’ Yesufu said.
He said he’s a natural point guard but “will play wherever I’m needed (at KU).”
“It’s a great basketball program, a great fanbase,” he said. “I’ve heard Lawrence is a great place. I’m really blessed.”
Yesufu scored 26 points on 8-of-22 shooting (6 of 11 from three) in Drake’s 72-56 first-round NCAA Tournament loss to USC on March 20 in Indianapolis.
He scored 21 points on 8-of-21 shooting (3 of 9 threes) in the Bulldogs’ 53-52 win over Wichita State on March 18 in the First Four.
During the regular season, he scored a career-high 36 points in a win over Evansville. He was chosen the Missouri Valley Conference’s sixth man of the year after coming off the bench in in 24 of 31 games. He started seven contests and averaged 23.9 minutes per game.
Unranked in high school, he averaged 16.0 points a game for Bolingbrook High.
“It’s a combination of things, my family constantly pushing me to become the best player I can be. I thank my trainers and all my coaches in college, high school and AAU.”
He will have three years of eligibility remaining at KU. The NCAA has given all players another year of eligibility in response to the pandemic.
Following this commitment, KU men’s basketball currently has no scholarships available in recruiting. The Jayhawks last week received commitments from Missouri Southern graduate transfer forward Cam Martin and senior point guard Bobby Pettiford of South Granville High School in Creedmoor, North Carolina.
The Jayhawks have lost three players — Tyon Grant-Foster, Tristan Enaruna and Gethro Muscadin — who’ve decided to transfer.
KU is also recruiting a senior high school point guard in TyTy Washington, 6-foot-4, 180-pounds from Compass Prep School in Chandler, Arizona. KU and Missouri are two schools in the running for former Creighton forward Christian Bishop, a junior out of Lee’s Summit West High.
KU has signed Zach Clemence, a 6-10, 205-pound senior forward from Sunrise Christian Academy in Bel Aire, Kansas and K.J. Adams, a 6-7, 220-pound senior power forward from Westlake High in Austin, Texas. KU has also received a commitment from junior college power forward Sydney Curry, 6-8, 265 pounds out of Logan Community College in Carterville, Illinois. Clemence is ranked No. 35 and Adams No. 73 nationally by Rivals.com. Pettiford is ranked No. 115 by Rivals.com.
This story was originally published April 7, 2021 at 12:51 PM with the headline "Former Drake point guard Joseph Yesufu picks KU Jayhawks: ‘Can’t wait to get started’."
