Baylor's Tounde Yessoufou Sneaking Into Round 1 of NBA Mocks

The 2026 NBA draft is weeks away, and Baylor‘s Tounde Yessoufou is getting hot just at the right time ahead of the event.

While Yessoufou has largely been expected to go at the end of the first round or start of the second round of the draft, but lately, he’s looking more like a first rounder.

In a mock out on Saturday, May 23, Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report names his projections for the upcoming draft. He has the Baylor product going to the Dallas Mavericks at No. 30.

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“With now three picks in the first round of this mock, the Mavericks can afford to shoot for upside here,” he states. “And few, if any, prospects in this range have more to offer than Yessoufou. His physical tools are elite, and he maximizes their impact by playing with tremendous, contagious energy.”

My Analysis: Baylor’s Tounde Yessoufou to the Mavericks

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Yessoufou still needs to improve his overall feel for the game and become a better shooter, but that’s the kind of thing Dallas can afford to take a chance on right now. They don’t have to rush the process or force him into a huge role right away. Instead, they can focus on the long-term picture and hope he can eventually give Cooper Flagg a real foundation for success.

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This story was originally published May 26, 2026 at 10:23 AM.