LEAD STORY: Pitino Pulls Off Portal Coup with Yessoufou Commitment
At the midnight deadline to withdraw from the 2026 NBA Draft, Baylor transfer Tounde Yessoufou pulled his name from the board and committed to St. John's, per Shams Charania of ESPN. The 6-foot-5, 215-pound wing had carried a do-not-contact tag in the transfer portal while testing his professional stock, and most mock drafts projected him as a first-round selection. Instead, Rick Pitino and the Red Storm landed one of the most consequential portal pieces of the cycle.
Yessoufou's production at Baylor backs up the hype. The former 5-star recruit from the class of 2025 averaged 17.8 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 assists per game while shooting 46.5% from the field and 29.3% from beyond the arc. According to On3's Joe Tipton, UCLA had built early momentum for the California native before Pitino swooped in.
The ripple effects reach the SEC. Kentucky had been in the mix for Yessoufou as a high school recruit and remains heavily invested in Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, who withdrew from the draft but has not yet announced a destination. With St. John's now likely out of the Momcilovic sweepstakes, the Wildcats' pursuit of the stretch-four becomes the next domino to watch.
QUICK HITS
- Missouri Football locks in Memorial Stadium centennial kickoff: The Tigers' Week 3 home matchup against Troy on September 19th will kick off at 11:45 a.m. CT on SEC Network Plus, doubling as the 100th anniversary celebration of Memorial Stadium. It will be Missouri's first Saturday home game of the season, following an SEC Network opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on September 3rd and a Friday night Border War at Kansas on FOX on September 11th.
- Georgia's early schedule set: The Bulldogs received television and kickoff designations for their first three games of 2026, including a Week 3 home date with Arkansas. Razorbacks AD Hunter Yurachek voiced public frustration on social media over the quick turnaround from Arkansas's Week 2 trip to Utah, though the slot reflects the realities of Arkansas's current standing in the SEC television hierarchy.
- Alabama distance trio advances at NCAA West: Dennis Kipruto (second), Dismus Lokira (fourth), and Hudson Hurst (seventh) all finished inside the top 12 of the men's 10,000 meters to punch their tickets to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in Eugene, Oregon, June 10-13.
- Texas A&M sends four to nationals on Day 1: The Aggies advanced four athletes to the NCAA Outdoor Championships on the opening day of the NCAA West First Round at John McDonnell Field.
- Tennessee posts massive haul at NCAA East: Five Vols qualified for the NCAA Outdoor Championships on the first day in Lexington, with six additional sprinters and hurdlers advancing to Friday's NCAA quarterfinal rounds.
- Ole Miss pole vaulter punches return ticket: Senior Logan Kelley qualified for the outdoor national meet for the second consecutive season, leading the Rebels on Day 1 of the NCAA East Region First Round.
- Mississippi State softball preps for OKC: The Bulldogs held their Women's College World Series media day press conference ahead of the championship.
- D1Baseball previews NCAA Regionals: Mike Rooney, Aaron Fitt, Kendall Rogers, Mark Etheridge, and Bradley Smart broke down all 16 regional sites set to begin this weekend on the D1Baseball Podcast.
PORTAL WATCH
LSU added Kaden Martin via the transfer portal, the lone confirmed SEC portal move from the past 12 hours. On the basketball side, the bigger story for league fans is who is no longer available: Tounde Yessoufou off the board at St. John's narrows Kentucky's runway as the Wildcats chase Iowa State transfer Milan Momcilovic, who withdrew from the NBA Draft but has not yet selected a school.
RECRUITING BUZZ
Missouri picked up a 2027 commitment from defensive lineman Dami Sowunmi, a 3-star prospect who had drawn interest from Indiana and Cincinnati. The Tigers continue to mine the 2027 class early, securing prospects before broader national attention escalates their recruitments.
GAMES TO WATCH
Tennessee travels to Texas for a matchup with kickoff time and broadcast designation still to be determined. The Vols-Longhorns clash promises a marquee SEC measuring stick whenever the first pitch or tip arrives.
