Baylor MBB’s Yessoufou Remains on Julius Erving Midseason Top 10 Watch List
SPRINGFIELD, Mass. – Baylor freshman Tounde Yessoufou continues to stand out, being named of one of 10 midseason candidates to the 2026 Julius Erving Award, the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday afternoon.
The Julius Erving Award recognized the best small forward in men's college basketball every year. The Contonou, Benin, native was also included in the top 20 preseason watch list.
Yessoufou joins Big 12 student-athletes AJ Dybantsa (BYU) and Milan Momcilovic (Iowa State) on the top-10 list.
Fans are encouraged to participate in Fan Voting in both of the remaining rounds starting on Friday,
February 6, on hoophallawards.com. The Fan Vote will count as one committee vote during the finalist selection process. In mid-March, the Mid-Season Top 10 list will be narrowed to just five, and in late March, the five finalists will be presented to Erving, and the Hall of Fame’s selection committees, where winners will be selected.
Yessoufou averages 17.3 points per game for the Bears and has reached double-figures in 20 of 21 contests. The freshman has reached the 20-plus point mark eight times this season. On the defensive end, Yessoufou averages two steals a game, which ranks second in the Big 12. His 42 total steals this season are third in the conference.
Baylor (12-9, 2-7 Big 12 Conference) returns to action on Wednesday, playing host to Colorado. Tip-off is slated for 7 p.m. and the game will be televised live on Peacock and broadcast live on the Baylor Sports Media Network.
JULIUS ERVING SMALL FORWARD OF THE YEAR MIDSEASON WATCH LIST
Tounde Yessoufou, Baylor
AJ Dybantsa, BYU
Thomas Haugh, Florida
Milan Momcilovic, Iowa State
Ryan Conwell, Louisville
Andrej Stojaković, Illinois
Coen Carr, Michigan State
Nate Ament, Tennessee
Dailyn Swain, Texas
Chad Baker-Mazara, USC
