Guerschon Yabusele enters EuroBasket 2025 carrying both the weight of expectation and the pride of leadership.
At 29, the New York Knicks forward finds himself not only as one of the most seasoned players on the French national team but also entrusted with the captain’s armband. This role takes on even greater significance given the circumstances.
This summer, France is without several of its biggest stars. Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, Matthias Lessort, and most recently Vincent Poirier will all be missing when Les Bleus tip off in Katowice.
For most teams, losing that much firepower and experience would spell crisis. But for Yabusele, it signals a new chapter – one defined by youth, resilience, and togetherness.
Instead of leaning on its established leaders, France will turn to a new wave of talent: teenagers Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, joined by Bilal Coulibaly, all part of a generation looking to write its own story.
Yabusele, bridging the gap between eras, becomes the glue – the steadying presence who offers both guidance and belief.
Speaking to FIBA media ahead of the tournament, Yabusele made it clear what the French jersey still means to him after nearly a decade of international duty:
“Just proudness. Every time I wear this jersey and step on the court, I just feel proud – watching my kids, my wife, my family, my friends in the crowd, representing my country. It’s just an honor. Every time I step on the court I want to make sure everybody who comes to watch knows that I’m wearing it with pride and giving everything I have.”
For him, EuroBasket is not just another competition. It’s the pinnacle of international basketball in terms of intensity and quality.
“It’s the most competitive competition in terms of pure basketball. And especially this year, it’s going to be the best we’ve ever seen because every team is bringing its best players. Everybody is going there to try to win the gold. We’ll see some of the best basketball ever.”
Still, there’s no hiding the fact that France will be without key veterans. Yabusele acknowledged the loss of those absent while making sure to uplift those who will carry the flag in Katowice.
“I can’t lie about it, they were precious for us. But not to throw shade on anybody else, because everybody here deserves to be here. We’ve been practicing hard, fighting hard. We have a great team for the competition, and we’ll also fight for those guys who couldn’t make it.”
As captain, his role is as much about presence as performance. Yabusele described what that responsibility means.
“Definitely more responsibility. These young guys are coming up, so I’m trying to be an example on and off the court. I try to be the link between the coach and the players, but also keep my ears open. If they want to talk about life, basketball, whatever’s on their mind, we can have that discussion. I want them to know I’m here for them and I’ll fight for them. It’s all about communication.”
If the French roster lacks mileage, it more than makes up for it with athleticism, energy, and fearlessness. Yabusele lights up when he speaks about the youthful core.
“The energy is just top. Everything they’ve shown in practice and games has been huge. They’ve got young legs, that mentality where they don’t care, they just go fight, jump, attack. They’re so athletic. We know how tough the European Championship is, and they’ll bring that bit of craziness we need.”
That sense of fearlessness, he believes, is matched by a rare level of chemistry.
“If I text the group chat and say, ‘Who wants to get food?’ I’ll get 13 responses. Everybody understands how important it is to be here, and we just like each other. It’s more than basketball – and in this type of competition, that’s what you need.”
France’s road will not be forgiving. In Group D alone, they must face hosts Poland, Slovenia led by Luka Doncic, as well as Iceland, Belgium, and Israel.
And should they progress, the path only gets tougher, with the likes of Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece and Nikola Jokic’s Serbia looming. Yabusele, however, embraces the challenge.
“Those are some of the best players in the world. That’s why I think this is going to be one of the biggest competitions. It’s going to be tough, and in terms of basketball, one of the purest. They’re huge for their teams – not just scoring, but passing, playmaking. We’ll try to keep them low in scoring and assists. But at the end of the day, every team is dangerous. We just have to focus on ourselves, play our game, and whatever happens, happens.”
In a lighter moment, Yabusele was asked which skill he would “steal” from some of EuroBasket’s brightest stars. He grinned when speaking about Antetokounmpo:
“He’s pretty tall, he can take two steps from the free-throw line and finish. He’s just a great finisher, a great player for sure.”
On Luka Doncic, the admiration is equally clear, though Yabusele insists that respect won’t turn into awe when they share the court.
“He was playing in Madrid before me, and when I got there I was impressed by what he had already done before the NBA. What he brings to the court says a lot about him. Then his first year in the NBA, you saw what he did. We’re going to play him at the tournament, he’s in our group. I’ll make sure he doesn’t feel like I’m his fan (laughs), but I respect his game. It’ll be a great game. Great player.”
For Yabusele, EuroBasket 2025 is about more than results – it’s about leadership, legacy, and honoring the French shirt.
Guerschon Yabusele, captain of the French national team, shares what it means to wear the jersey and lead his country at #EuroBaskethttps://t.co/AtEGLBVLpy
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) August 25, 2025
