What was long expected became official Sunday afternoon as 2016 four-star power forward Kassoum Yakwe committed to St. John's over Oregon, per 247Sports.
Yakwe, originally from Mali, now resides in Centereach, New York, on Long Island, and is New York's sixth best player in the class of 2016.
Yakwe has been going back and forth on whether he should reclassify to the class of 2015, or not, and according to ESPN's Jeff Borzello, he'll be attempting to do such.
Kassoum Yakwe will also reclassify into the 2015 class and enroll at St. John's for the upcoming season, per sources.
— Jeff Borzello (@jeffborzello) August 23, 2025
While reclassification will be an interesting saga to follow, St. John's fans should certainly be rejoicing. Even if Yakwe can't play until next season, this is a giant step in the right direction for the rebuild.
Below is Yakwe's most recent highlight tape, from Nike's EYBL.
Next up for the Red Storm will be looking to secure a commitment from four-star 2016 point guard Shamorie Ponds.
UPDATE (8/23, 6:26 PM): Zach Braziller of the New York Post brings us this update on Yakwe's reclassification.
Kassoum Yakwe expected to enroll in classes this week per source. Eligibility for this year work in progress. #sjubb
