In the aftermath of France’s matchup against Germany, LeBron James came out to state “I wasn’t very impressed with their (France) last game. I didn’t think they were ready for the physicality of Germany”. Now, the host country has more than redeemed itself in the Quarter-Finals by securing a memorable 82-73 win against the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander-led Canada. While 20-year-old Victor Wembanyama was earlier responsible for his national team’s 2-1 record, it was Guerschon Yabusele who led France to victory this time around.

Just four weeks ago, Yabusele’s availability was in question because of knee issues. However, he led France against Canada with 22 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 assist. He went 6-9 with his field goals, 2-4 with his three-pointers, and 8-9 free throws. And along with hitting a three-pointer right at halftime, bringing the team’s total to 16, Yabusele provided the team great defense, limiting Canada to only two players scoring in double digits. Remarkably, Yabusele, once rejected by the Boston Celtics, played a key role in this victory.

Therefore, without any further ado, let us take a look into the life of his French star.

Who is Geurschon Yabusele?

Early Life

Born in the city of Dreux, France, basketball was not the first passion of Yabusele. Instead, the future professional player would first try his luck out in boxing. It wasn’t until he was given his first opportunity by the French basketball club Chorale Roanne Basket that a 17-year-old player would pick up the ball and display what he could accomplish with it.

Since Yabusele was named to the B Division of the LNB Élite, France’s Top-Tier basketball league, he had to work his way up. He did so by taking his average score from 1.5 points to 6 points within a span of two seasons. This earned him a spot at the Rouen Métropole Basket club of the LNB Pro A. Yabusele’s stats significantly improved there, as he averaged 11.5 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists during the 2015-16 season. The player found even better success with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, as he would average not less than 21.7 points per game.

What transpired between Yabusele and the Boston Celtics?

After having spent his time with the basketball clubs in his national country of France, Yabusele felt the need to try his luck out in the NBA. He put his name forward for the draft of 2016. By that time, the Frenchman’s prowess had caught the attention of the officials over in America, especially those belonging to the Boston Celtics.

Expected to be a late-round pick, Yabusele defied expectations after being taken in by the Celtics as the 16 overall pick. Yabusele was picked right after the Celtics had chosen Jaylen Brown, who would later go on to secure the Finals MVP title and secure one of the biggest NBA contracts in history.

Despite being drafted, Yabusele would only play in the NBA Summer League in his first year, and wouldn’t join the main league until a year later. In the two seasons that he played for the Boston Celtics, Guerschon Yabusele appeared in a total of only 74 games and averaged 2.3 points, 1.4 rebounds, and 0.4 assists per game. He never went higher than 16 points, while his peak in rebounds stayed at 6 and assists at 5.

While his on-court skills cast doubts about the future, Yabusele’s charismatic personality earned him some followers during his NBA days. His classic ‘Bow-and-Dab’ move certainly became a cultural phenomenon that is remembered even today. In the words of former franchise assistant Micah Shrewsberry, Yabusele was the Dancing Bear of the Celtics.

On July 10, 2019, the Boston Celtics decided to wave the power forward. According to The Boston Herald, the same came in the aftermath of Yabusele’s abysmal performance at the Summer League, during which he scored only one during the first games by going 1-7. However, a source quoted in the report stated that “Summer league didn’t have much to do with it. I think he needs a change of scenery to get started again.”

Despite his low performance during the two regular seasons, the Celtics had hoped for some improvement going forward. According to a report from Boston.com, this is what prompted the franchise to pick the player’s $3.1 million. Either that, for a higher pay would have made the player a valuable commodity when it came to a trade.

However, having judged his performance, a difficult decision was made. After Yabusele’s exit from the NBA, he returned to the CBA for another season while also devoting a year to playing for the French basketball club named ASVEL Basket. Today, he plays for the renowned Spanish Club Real Madrid, which has introduced many star players like Luka Doncic to the NBA world.

How did Yabusele fare on the international stage?

Barring the up-and-down journey on the domestic front, Guerschon Yabusele was consistent when playing for the National Basketball team of France. After representing the country in the under-18 and Under-20 divisions, he would have his first bout on the main roster during the 2020-21 EuroBasket Qualifying Rounds.

Once France qualified for the Olympics for the third time in a row in 2021, Yabusele flew off to Tokyo. In the six games he appeared in, the power forward went on to average 6.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 1.3 assists. His prime point came during the Finals game against Team USA, as he added 13 points to the overall score by going 4-11 with his field goals, 3-7 with his three-pointers, and 2-4 with his free throws. While the same wasn’t enough to get the better of the elite US roster, Guerschon Yabusele and co still walked off with a silver medal, the first since the 2000 Sydney Games.

Guerschon Yabusele has no desire to return to the NBA, for now

While international players would continue to find success with their respective clubs/leagues, it would be hard to resist if the door of the NBA would come knocking. However, for now, Guerschon Yabusele is not looking to open the door, even if any knocks come in.

Before the Paris Olympics, the 28-year-old admitted in an interview that “I no longer want to spend seasons with the Boston Celtics or in China, not knowing when to play and when not to play. I would like to return to the NBA, but I play for the best team in Europe and win championships. Why would I leave that to sit on a bench? I will join the French National Team after the end of the season this summer, so I am waiting for the Olympics, not the NBA.”

With his best years ahead of him, anything can happen. For now, however, the goal is to repeat the success of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Having defeated Canada, Guerschon Yabusele and France are one step closer to doing so.

Before you go, do not forget to check out this crossover between BG12 and Georgia Bulldogs star Asia Avinger