French forward Guerschon Yabusele impressed fans, analysts, and players alike during the 2024 Paris Olympics. The highlight of his incredible run at the tournament was a vicious dunk on LeBron James, which left the veteran forward on the floor. While he had to settle for a silver medal, his stock skyrocketed and has reportedly earned him an NBA contract.
Per league insider Shams Charania, the Philadelphia 76ers are closing in on a deal to sign the 6-foot-8 forward. On his X handle, he posted,
“After starring in the Paris Olympics, France F Guerschon Yabusele is nearing a deal with the Philadelphia 76ers, per league sources.”
The deal is subject to the parties negotiating a slightly complicated $2.5 million buyout. Per Charania,
“To resolve his buyout with Real Madrid, the 76ers would pay a maximum of $850,000, per league rules. The rest of the amount, roughly $1.6 million, would be resolved by Yabusele and Real Madrid.”
Yabusele has been plying his trade in Spain with Real Madrid since 2021, providing them with quality production as a starter. While the Frenchman and the two teams continue to discuss the way forward, it is seemingly only a matter of time before the forward marks his return to the NBA.
Guerschon Yabusele’s dream of returning to the NBA is close to fruition
The Celtics selected Yabusele with the 16th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. However, he spent time in China and the G-League before joining the team in 2017. The forward’s conditioning issues meant he wasn’t part of their rotation in their rookie season.
Despite some improvements, he never enjoyed a big role with the perennial championship contenders. He appeared in 74 games in two seasons, tallying just 7.1 minutes per game. The Celtics waived him in 2019 after two disappointing seasons.
He spent two years with ASVEL in his home country before signing with Real Madrid, where quickly established himself as one of their key players. He was exceptional from beyond the arc, shooting over 40% in each of his three seasons with the Spanish side. His heroics for France in the Olympics, where he averaged 14 points per game, earned him MVP shouts.
The 76ers lack a true power forward and have seemingly zeroed in on Yabusele to play that role. The Frenchman has been open about his dream of returning to the NBA and will now get an opportunity to be a key contributor in a team expected to compete for the title.