Guerschon Yabusele is making the most of his second stint in the NBA, finding himself as an integral part of the Philadelphia 76ers. After a standout performance at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, where he helped France secure a silver medal, Yabusele returned to the league determined to make an impact.
Reflecting on his journey in an exclusive interview with Spencer Davies of RG, Yabusele shared his thoughts on this unexpected opportunity. “It was something that I desired for sure,” he said. “But knowing that it was gonna be true and me here in that type of situation? No, it’s not something that I was expecting. But I’m pretty glad that it turned out that way.”
Yabusele, who struggled during his first stint in the NBA with the Boston Celtics from 2017 to 2019, transformed his game overseas. He became a cornerstone for Real Madrid, winning the 2023 EuroLeague title and earning a place in the EuroLeague Final Four three times.
His electrifying dunk on LeBron James during the Olympics turned heads globally and contributed to his return to the NBA.
“It’s a crazy year for me,” Yabusele explained. “To win with Real Madrid, go to the Olympics, get that silver medal, and then compete with the best guys in the world—it’s been just full of emotion. Coming back to the NBA and getting this contract, it’s been amazing.”
Yabusele has played a significant role for Philadelphia this season, appearing in 29 games and starting in 10. He’s averaging 9.6 points and 5.2 rebounds in 23.5 minutes per game, a substantial leap from the 2 points in 7 minutes he averaged with Boston.
The 29-year-old credits his improvement to consistent playing time and the opportunity to learn from his mistakes. “It’s the first time I’m really part of a team in the NBA,” he said. “I’m truly playing, having playing time, and being able to make mistakes and learn. I have a big role, so of course I’m still learning.”
Philadelphia has endured an up-and-down season, battling injuries to key players, including Joel Embiid. Despite this, the team has shown resilience, winning seven of their last ten games to climb to an 11th-place standing in the Eastern Conference with a 12-17 record.
