MORGANTOWN — Like basically all the West Virginia University men’s basketball roster, Joseph Yesufu is new to the Mountaineers.
Unlike most of his new teammates, however, this isn’t his first rodeo with first-year WVU coach Darian DeVries.
The Bolingbrook, Illinois, product, who was the Herald News Boys Basketball Player of the Year at Bolingbrook High School began his college journey with DeVries at Drake in 2019-20.
It started well, too. Yesufu played in 13 games as a true freshman, and he had some big performances, including a 16-point effort against Simpson. A leg injury, though, cut his first season short.
He came back in a big way the next year, scoring 15 or more points 10 times, including a 36-point effort against Evansville.
Yesufu averaged 12.8 points per game, but those numbers swelled as the season progressed. He averaged 22.4 points over his final seven games, including 21 in an upset win over Wichita State that gave the Bulldogs their first NCAA tournament victory since 1971. A highlight dunk for Yesufu in that win was featured on CBS’ “One Shining Moment†at the end of the tournament.
Drake bowed out in the second round, falling to USC, but Yesufu was again impressive, scoring 26 in that game. He was named the Missouri Valley Conference Sixth Man of the Year, and he parlayed that success into a move up the ladder. He entered the transfer portal, and calls came from Wisconsin, USC, Nebraska and Minnesota before Yesufu landed with Kansas.
The Bulldogs continued to flourish, and so did Yesufu. He played in 34 games in 2021-22, averaging a little more than nine minutes per outing for Kansas. The next year was even better, as he averaged almost 13 minutes, played in 35 games and started three. He scored 14 points three times that year against Tennessee, Texas Southern and Texas and averaged a little more than four points per outing.
“I loved Kansas,†he said. “It’s a great community — great teammates and great coaching staff. I graduated from there, and I love everybody there.
“Going into a [road] game [with the Jayhawks], you know the crowd’s not going to be on your side at all, and you’re going to get everybody’s best. That’s what we loved. There’s always a target on your back, and you have to be prepared every night.â€
Still, Yesufu wanted a little more time on the floor. He transferred to Washington State.
Much like his first year at Drake, the 2023-24 season was going just as planned. Through six games, Yesufu was playing more than 25 minutes per contest and averaging six points and a pair of rebounds. His heel, though, wasn’t performing nearly as well.
“I was dealing with the injury in the summer,†Yesufu said. “I sat out that whole summer to get right, and I started feeling a little better. But as the season began going, it started getting worse.
“Initially, when I sat out, I wanted to come back,†he recalled of the 2023-24 season. “I love basketball. That’s my true love. But I talked to a lot of people, and they helped me realize that if I can’t give 100% on the court, it’s best to save that year.
“I’m not going to lie. It was tough. I’ve never been away from basketball for that long. Looking back on it, I needed it to take a step back and realize what’s really important, and that’s Jesus Christ.â€
Despite the setback, Yesufu was happy at Washington State and wanted to stay. But the walls came crumbling down around him. The Pac-12 Conference disintegrated, and seeing the writing on the wall, Cougars coach Kyle Smith left for Stanford.
So, it was back to the transfer portal, and while Yesufu was on the treadmill continuing his rehab one day, he was shocked by a call that came from a name from his past — DeVries.
“I got the call from him and jumped off the treadmill,†Yesufu said. “He told me he would really like to see if I was interested in joining him again. Of course, I was open to it.
“He’s a great coach, and he didn’t even have to accept me back. That shows the kind of person, coach and father he is to accept me back. I’ll never forget about that.â€
WVU became Yesufu’s fourth college.
“I’ve moved around,†he said with a smile. “Not a lot of people get to be in different places, but I look at that as a great opportunity to connect with people in different towns. I don’t criticize myself for that.
“When you first get there, you have to feel people out and learn their tendencies. What makes them mad? What makes them happy? That’s how you build a bond and create a team.â€
Yesufu has been a major contributor to WVU’s success. He’s averaging nearly 16 minutes per contest for the Mountaineers and scoring 4.8 points per game. He’s scored in double digits twice, including a season-best 18 in a recent win over Colorado. It’s clear he’s happy to be playing in Morgantown, back with his old coach.
“I didn’t want to transfer again, but it was a blessing in disguise,†he said of leaving Washington State. “I feel like everything happens for a reason. I was supposed to be here. I came here to win, and that’s my ultimate goal.â€
