Guerschon Yabusele” width=”800″ height=”540″ class=”aligncenter size-full wp-image-732467″ srcset=”https://www.basketusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/guerschon-yabusele-2.jpg 800w, https://www.basketusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/guerschon-yabusele-2-210×142.jpg 210w, https://www.basketusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/guerschon-yabusele-2-500×338.jpg 500w, https://www.basketusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/guerschon-yabusele-2-768×518.jpg 768w, https://www.basketusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/guerschon-yabusele-2-640×432.jpg 640w, https://www.basketusa.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/guerschon-yabusele-2-320×216.jpg 320w” sizes=”(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px”/>That day, he felt it was the right time to say it. To take advantage of the “ light » of the Olympic Games around him. “ I’m waiting for a second chance. I’m ready », blurted out Guerschon Yabusele on X/Twitter, in the wake of the final lost to the Americans.
Then, as told by The Athleticbefore the interior went on vacation with his family to Saint-Martin, his agent called him: several teams – including the Sixers who had been watching him for a while – were interested. But unlike previous years, the interest was concrete.
The Frenchman then blurted out to his family: “ Maybe we’ll go back. » Two months later, Guerschon Yabusele managed to return to the Grand League scene. On the heels of his stellar Olympic summer and several high-level seasons in Europe, he has earned the trust of the Sixers.
And this a little less than ten years after being drafted by the Celtics. It was in 2016, in 16th place. Unfortunately for him, this first experience in Boston, where he was notably pushed to work on his physical condition and to get in tune with the defense, will be much shorter than imagined.
« I had a hard time leaving the league because growing up it was one of my dreams to come here. I didn’t want to come here, spend a few years and leave. I wanted to stay here for a long time. It was a long process for me to learn from this experience, to try to make something good out of it », he agrees.
Don’t say no to Real Madrid
The former Roanne man began his “redemption” in China, before returning to France, to ASVEL. He then received a phone call from a bigger European team. “ I gave it my all and played pretty well in the EuroLeague. When Real Madrid called me, it was obvious. You can never say no to Real Madrid. »
So he said yes, to sign three great seasons there while gaining ever more depth in the French team during international campaigns. This summer, he finished second best scorer in the selection behind Victor Wembanyama. To the point of obtaining a rather rare second chance for a former first round of European Draft having crossed the Atlantic so quickly.
« It’s another stage in my career where I said to myself: I’m not in the league, but Europe is best for me. I was just happy to be there. I thank Real Madrid, because it is largely thanks to them that I came back here, that I was able to develop my game and that I was able to go further », he greets.
A new challenge now awaits the Frenchman: convincing Nick Nurse to find him a solid place at the heart of his interior rotations. His return to the NBA is in any case not an end in itself: “ I don’t want to stop there. I want to keep moving forward » he concludes.
