Guerschon Yabusele, affectionately nicknamed “The Dancing Bear,” has emerged as a surprise star for Team France in the 2024 Paris Olympics men’s basketball tournament. Yabusele is currently the second-highest scorer on the team, averaging 12.8 points per game, just behind the towering 7-foot-4 sensation Victor Wembanyama.
In France’s quarterfinals clash, Guerschon Yabusele was instrumental, leading his team with 22 points in a shocking upset over Canada. The 28-year-old continued his stellar form in the semifinals on Thursday, putting up 17 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting and grabbing seven rebounds as France secured a spot in the gold medal game by defeating Germany.
🗣️ MVP chants break out for Yabusele.
Feels only right.#Paris2024 x #Basketball pic.twitter.com/oj29ZpNgz5
— FIBA (@FIBA) August 8, 2024
Despite his success on the international stage, Yabusele hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019. Drafted 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in 2016, he spent two seasons with the team before being waived. However, after his recent Olympic heroics, Yabusele seems eager to make an NBA comeback, specifically with the Celtics.
“You gotta tell (the Celtics) to bring me back,” Yabusele jokingly said to The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn, signaling his desire to return to the team where his NBA journey began.
Currently playing for Real Madrid, Yabusele has found great success overseas. He’s been a key player for the club, helping them secure two Liga ACB titles (2022 and 2024) and a EuroLeague championship in 2023. This past season, Yabusele averaged 10.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, solidifying his reputation as a dominant force in European basketball.
Just had a moment with Guerschon Yabusele, who recognized me and said smiling, “You gotta tell (the #Celtics) to bring me back.” Yabu was a former BOS first-round pick. Plays now for Real Madrid.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) August 8, 2024
Yabusele’s NBA stint with the Celtics was brief, with the 6-foot-8, 270-pound forward averaging 2.4 points over 7.1 minutes per game in the 2017-18 season and 2.3 points over 6.1 minutes per game in 2018-19. After his release from Boston, he continued his career overseas, including a season with the Shanghai Sharks in China before joining Real Madrid.
While a return to Celtics green might be a long shot given Boston’s loaded roster, Yabusele’s performances in the Olympics and Europe suggest that he still has plenty to offer at the NBA level. For now, Celtics fans can enjoy watching their former first-round pick make his mark for his home country on the world’s biggest stage.
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