This summer, the spotlight in international basketball has shone brightly on a familiar face for Boston Celtics fans—Guerschon Yabusele, affectionately known as the “Dancing Bear.” Yabusele, who has been a key player for Team France in the 2024 Paris Olympics, is making headlines with his impressive performances and a lighthearted message to his former NBA team.
In the men’s basketball tournament, Yabusele has emerged as a surprise star for France, ranking second on the team in scoring with an average of 12.8 points per game, just behind the 7-foot-4 phenom Victor Wembanyama. His standout play has been instrumental in France’s journey to the gold medal game.
Guerschon Yabusele delivered a team-high 22 points in France’s upset victory over Canada in the quarterfinals and continued his stellar play in the semifinals against Germany. On Thursday, he once again led his team, scoring 17 points on an efficient 7-of-11 shooting, while also grabbing seven rebounds, helping France secure a spot in the Olympic final.
Despite his success on the international stage, Yabusele hasn’t played in the NBA since 2019, when the Boston Celtics, who drafted him 16th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft, waived him after two seasons. However, his Olympic heroics have rekindled his desire for an NBA comeback, and he didn’t hesitate to let that be known.
“You gotta tell (the Celtics) to bring me back,” Yabusele said with a smile to The Boston Globe’s Gary Washburn.
The prospect of Yabusele returning to Celtics green may seem unlikely—the defending champions boast a stacked roster, and Yabusele’s last NBA game was five years ago. Still, Celtics fans are surely enjoying watching the 6-foot-8, 270-pound big man make a name for himself on the international stage.
Since his departure from the NBA, Yabusele has found success overseas, playing the last three seasons with Real Madrid. During his time with the Spanish powerhouse, he helped the team secure two Liga ACB titles (2022 and 2024) and a EuroLeague championship (2023). In the most recent season, Yabusele averaged 10.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game, proving his worth as a valuable contributor.
Yabusele’s journey has taken him across the globe, from a season with the Shanghai Sharks in China to two years with the Celtics, where he averaged modest numbers—2.4 points over 7.1 minutes per game in 2017-18 and 2.3 points over 6.1 minutes per game in 2018-19.
As the Paris Olympics draw to a close, Yabusele’s future remains uncertain, but his playful request to return to the Celtics shows his enduring connection to the team and its fans. Whether or not a return to the NBA is in the cards, Yabusele’s performances this summer have certainly reminded everyone of his talent and potential.
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