“That kid is a freak of nature,” and “That kid can play”—these were some of the remarks made about Guerschon Yabusele when he first entered the NBA with the Boston Celtics in 2016. Jaylen Brown and Al Horford were the ones who made those statements about Yabusele. Now at 28, the Frenchman is set to return to the NBA after the Philadelphia 76ers signed him for a $2.1 million, one-year deal.

“I’m ready to die for my guys,” Yabusele declared during the recently concluded Olympics. His intense, die-hard of play was key in leading France to the gold medal game. He might have missed out on the ultimate prize, but for his hustle, Yabusele is now getting rewarded with a return to the league he left in 2019. The Sixers fans are yet to decide if they’re going to call him the “Dancing Bear” nickname, bestowed upon him during his spell with the Cs. However, knowing the origin of the name would certainly add some context.

When the Celtics drafted him with their 16th pick in 2016, scouts were particularly impressed by his physique and mobility. Yabusele’s 7-foot-2 wingspan combined with his explosive pace earned him the nickname “Dancing Bear,” a moniker given to him by then-Celtics assistant coach Micah Shrewsberry. Yabusele embraced it and the fans were on board with the name, making him a favorite in Boston.

Before enlisting in the 2016 draft, Yabusele made his mark in the Chinese basketball league (CBA), playing for the Shanghai Sharks. When the scouts submitted the report, and then Celtics GM Danny Ainge saw footage of him averaging 20.9 points per game, they knew he was the one. But ultimately things didn’t go according to plan for Yabusele as he moved abroad to reinvent himself after 2 disappointing seasons in Boston.

Taking a closer look into Guerschon Yabusele’s Celtics stint

Not a single fan in the Shamrock colors will say, Yabusele didn’t have the talent to make it in the NBA. That was never the case. His ankle surgery in 2017, combined with Jayson Tatum’s addition to the team, relegated him to a peripheral role on the roster. Brad Stevens was looking to build Tatum to the star-caliber player he is today, and that left the French power forward far behind in the pecking order.

In the 33 games he played for the Cs in the 2017-18 season, Yabusele only got four starts. His highest points tally for the Celtics came in a 110-97 win against the Brooklyn Nets in 2018, when he scored 16 points. Yabusele’s dominant runs to the glass were a key weapon in his arsenal, with 42.6% shooting success from the field. His signature hammer dunk was again on display during the Olympics when he posterized LeBron James, a sight the Celtics fans loved to see.

The lack of accuracy from the deep was another reason for Yabusele finding himself behind Tatum. He only shot 32.4% from the deep compared to Tatum’s 43.4% accuracy that season. That’s why he often found himself in the Maine Red Claws, the G-League side of the Cs. The next season saw a slight rise in his participation for the senior team, but Yabusele only had one start in the 41 games he played. His minutes also decreased from 7.1 per game to 6.1 with similar shooting from the 3-point line.

The Celtics’ game 5 loss against the Milwaukee Bucks in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in 2019 marked the last time Yabusele played in the NBA. His 0% shooting from the floor in the 2-point outing marked the end of his ride with the Celtics.

Now that Yabusele is back, the Sixers will likely get a matured, European basketball-hardened player. Head coach Nick Nurse could play a major role in improving his team’s deep shooting as Guerschon Yabusele will be the first backup to Caleb Martin. By some mysterious stroke of luck, the Dancing Bear will face the Celtics as early as October 12, giving the Eastern Conference bout another layer of intrigue.