Bolingbrook’s Joseph Yesufu commits to Drake

When coach Darian DeVries was hired as Drake’s head coach in late March, Bolingbrook point guard Joseph Yesufu became an immediate target for the new coach and his staff.

That early work paid off for DeVries and the Bulldogs as Yesufu committed to Drake Sunday afternoon following an official visit to the Des Moines campus.

“They recruited me hard and showed they really wanted me,” says Yesufu.

The athletic point guard has been a fixture for Bolingbrook over the past three years. He’s also been a prime target of mid-major programs. But Yesufu didn’t feel the need to extend the recruiting process.

“I loved the coaching staff, the atmosphere there, the teachers and academics,” says Yesufu. “Everything felt right and it’s the perfect fit. There was no need to look anywhere else. I loved everything about it.”

Bolingbrook coach Rob Brost noticed the persistence Drake showed in the recruitment of his star guard. He also saw Drake as an ideal fit.

“First, Joe is an outstanding student and Drake has a great academic reputation,” Brost pointed out. “As soon as coach DeVries was hired, he made him a priority from the get-go. In the last six months they showed how much they wanted him.”

Yesufu should fit in nicely for a coach in DeVries who wants to get up and down the floor. With speed, explosive athleticism and an ability to get into the lane and to the basket, Yesufu believes his style fits perfectly.

“They want to play fast and anyone who has seen me knows I want to play fast,” says Yesufu, who scored more than 20 points five times this past season. “It’s a great fit for me as a player.”

Yesufu averaged 14 points, five rebounds and three assists a game last season for a team that won 22 games.