2o24 French star Guershon Yabusele is looking for a second NBA chance after a sensational gold medal game against the United States.
“Been waiting for a 2nd chance. I’m ready,” Yabusele said on Sunday via his X account.
Will 2016 NBA First-Round Draft Pick Get a Second NBA Chance
Yabusele and Victor Wembanyama led France to a hard-fought 98-87 loss to the US, as the French big men combined for 46 points. Yabusele showed off his strength and athleticism against the Americans, scoring 20 points on 6 of 14 shooting, including a posterizing dunk over The King. He also was 7 of 10 from the free throw line and 1 of 4 from the 3-point line.
Yabusele was named Olympics second, averaging 14.0 points on 51.9% and 3.3 rebounds. The 6-8 forward scored in double-figures in four of the six games, also tallying 22 points against Canada and 17 versus Germany.
Yabusele, who played for Boston from 2017-19, has spent the last three seasons with Real Madrid. The 28-year-old has one more year on his contract, though he has a very reasonable $2.5 million buyout.
Who Is Guershon Yabusele?
Yabusele is a 6-8, 260-pound, 28-year-old forward from Dreux, France. Yabusele began his basketball journey in 2012 when he joined the youth program at Chorale Roanne Baskets of France. He spent two seasons with Chorale Roanne before moving to Rouen Metropole in the Jeep Elite league for one season in 2015-16 before being selected as the No. 16 overall pick by the Celtics in 2016.
After spending the 2016-17 campaign with the Shanghai Dongfang as a draft-and-stash prospect, where he averaged 20 points, Yabusele came across the pond and made two appearances with the G-League Maine Red Claws before the conclusion of that season. Yabusele signed with Boston in the summer of 2017 and saw some action with the Maine Red Claws, the Celtics G-League affiliate, but he spent most of the 2017-18 season with Boston, appearing in 43 games (four starts), including 12 playoff contests.
Yabusele saw a slight increase of action with the Celtics in 2018-19 but also saw time with Maine that season. The Cs waived him in July 2019. Since his NBA tenure, Yabusele has spent time in Chinese Basketball and with French club ASVEL before switching alliances to Real Madrid for the 2021-22 season.
Does Yabusele Deserve A Second Chance?
Yabusele demonstrated during his time in the NBA that he was certainly more skilled than a G-League player with the possibility of earning a cup of coffee in the “Big Leagues.” But for him to come over to the NBA this year, Yabusele will have to be a rotational player. He didn’t show that capability in his last NBA shot which spanned 74 games and fewer than 5oo minutes.
But Yabusele demonstrated in the Olympics that he can score and be pretty efficient against NBA players. In France’s three knockout games, Yabusele contributed 59 points on 19 of 34 shooting (55.4%). He also grabbed 14 rebounds and attempted 22 free throws, making 18 (81.8%).
Yabusele’s biggest issues are 3-point shooting, defensive rebounding, and defense overall. While he has shown the ability to shoot from deep in Europe, he struggled from beyond the arc during the Olympics, connecting on just 6 of 21 attempts (28.6%). He also struggled from deep in the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
However, I agree with Give Me Sport’s Mike Cruz’s assessment that Yabusele does deserve another NBA, as he is just as valuable as the most end-of-the-bench players in the league. He is at least a No. 12-15 player on an NBA bench this year with a chance of earning regular appearances with most team’s second units (between players listed between No. 9-12 on the depth chart).
“All things considered, Yabusele has the tools to be an NBA player,” Cruz wrote. “With his 6-foot-8, 271-pound frame, Yabusele has the body to play in the NBA. He is an aggressive attacker to the basket, can finish in the paint, and has a knack of getting to the foul line. Likewise, he can also space the floor with his three-point shot.”
Teams Mentioned As Possible Landing Spots For The Frenchmen
There have been five teams as possible NBA landing spots for Yabusele this year.
NBA reporter Evan Dammarell of ClutchPoints mentioned the Cleveland Cavaliers earlier today as one of the latest potential landing spots for Yabusele.
“A team that could be a serious option for Yabusele is the Cavaliers, who just named [Kenny] Atkinson as the team’s next head coach “Atkinson was an assistant on France’s basketball team, helping scheme their offense to a silver medal finish. Sources have shared with ClutchPoints that since the Cavs typically carry 14 players, they will consult Atkinson on adding a player he’s familiar with before Cleveland’s training camp.
“Although Cleveland may look for a veteran who doesn’t expect playing time, why not try Yabusele, a forward who’s only 28 and can push the team as a reserve? The French connection between Atkinson, the Cavs, and Yabusele could be worth exploring, especially with how Yabusele answers a clear need on Cleveland’s roster.”
Other possibilities include the Dallas Mavericks, San Antonio Spurs, Miami Heat, Los Angeles Lakers, and Boston Celtics.
Cleveland Cavaliers
Cleveland makes a lot of sense. The Cavaliers have two or three open standard contracts available. The Cavs could also use a fifth big, and Yabusele would certainly be capable of challenging Georges Niang and Dean Wade down the road for backup big man minutes.
Niang has an immediate advantage over Yabusele due to his 3-point capabilities. Wade is a similar player to Yabusele, though not as talented offensively. The 27-year-old Cavalier is better defensively. Wade has made huge strides with his 3-point marksmanship.
Dallas Mavericks
While Yabusele may be a good fit on the court for the Mavericks, as Drew Johnson wrote for Athlon Sports, I don’t see them as a possible suitor this year.
After reviewing film and studying Yabusele closely, we’ve come to the conclusion that he could be an excellent fit for the Mavericks, offering them a combination of shooting, defensive versatility, and international experience. His addition could improve the team’s frontcourt depth and provide them with the kind of two-way player that is crucial in deep playoff runs.
Also, I’m not convinced Yabusele is an NBA rotational player yet, not that he won’t be by the end of the season. But more importantly, Dallas has 15 players on standard contracts, with AJ Lawson on a nonguaranteed deal. The Maverick’s frontcourt is full of capable veterans like Maxi Kleber and Naji Marshall, along with 2023 first-round pick Olivier Maxence-Prosper.
San Antonio Spurs
Yabusele and Wembanyama were Olympic teammates and are certainly familiar with each other. Wemby also pitched for Yabusele to join him in San Antonio this year.
However, the Spurs have 16 players on standard deals, with 15 fully guaranteed. The Spurs have plenty of flexibility to move a contract via trade or waiver if they choose to do so. However, I don’t see that happening, at least this year.
Boston Celtics
Yabusele joked about playing for the Celtics again during the Olympics.
“You gotta tell (the Celtics) to bring me back,” Yabusele said with a smile to The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn.
Boston has an open roster spot and could use some frontcourt depth with Al Hortford’s age and Kristaps Porzingis’ injury issues. The Celtics would only be able to offer him the veteran minimum.
Miami Heat and Los Angeles Lakers
Neither the Heat nor the Lakers seem like real possibilities, at least at this point.
Miami has an open roster spot, but the Heat are up against the second apron. The Heat also have some promising youngsters who can play both forward spots. So, they would have to make a major trade or a salary dump to accommodate Yabusele.
Similar things could be said about the Lakers. LA has 15 players on fully guaranteed standard deals, just below the second apron. Yabusele would be a better fit for the Lakers than the Heat, though they have more pressing needs and would have to make a salary dump trade just to fit him on the roster.
