The Philadelphia 76ers could add a "force of nature" wing to their roster in the 2026 NBA Draft.
Paul George and Kelly Oubre Jr. are the leaders of the Philadelphia 76ers' forward room this season.
The problem is George has a chance to regress further next season while Oubre is set to hit free agency this summer. The former has already taken a step back during his two years in Philadelphia, so there's no reason to assume different will happen going into the 2026-2027 season. The latter could simply demand too much money on the open market, leading to him signing elsewhere.
All this is to say, the 76ers may need to shore up the wing spot this offseason. The 2026 NBA Draft could be the perfect place to do so, as Philadelphia is projected to have a pick in the mid-20s.
USA Today predicts the 76ers could use their selection on Baylor Bears freshman wing Tounde Yessoufou.
"Baylor freshman Tounde Yessoufou is a force of nature in transition and does not have that same polish in a half-court offense," USA Today's Bryan Kalbrosky wrote. "Still raw but with a respected work ethic, there are a lot of traits to admire about what he might blossom into as he continues his development. Already, however, his athleticism and his defensive playmaking will at least intrigue teams looking to improve their wing depth like the 76ers."
Yessoufou is averaging 17.9 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.0 steals on 47% shooting and 31.8% shooting from three-point range in 28 appearances for the Bears this season.
The 19-year-old receives the most praise for his physical tools and athleticism. Because of these attributes, Yessoufou is elite at finishing through contact and getting to the basket at will.
At 6 foot 5, 215 pounds, some would consider Yessoufou a bit small to play forward, but he uses his impressive frame to match up well against bigger opponents. He does struggle, however, to knock down shots consistently from the outside, as well as having a tendency to rely a bit too heavily on his athleticism at times.
Luckily for Yessoufou, if he's drafted by the 76ers, he'll have the opportunity to learn under a nine-time All-Star in George.
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