Guerschon Yabusele not only had a successful NBA comeback, but now, he should be an interesting free agent this summer. Yabusele bet on himself last year coming off the Paris Olympics, taking a minimum contract with the 76ers.
Due to buyout rules, Yabusele wasn’t necessarily making as much monetarily in his NBA comeback attempt. Now, Yabusele is again a free agent this summer after an impressive season in Philadelphia. But instead of wondering which NBA team will sign him, he should be in line for a payday after showing what he can contribute stateside.
Speaking with HoopsHype, Yabusele broke down the free agency process and how he expects to stay in the NBA. Plus, the former Celtics first-round pick explained why he partially credits his Boston tenure for his NBA comeback.
“Even though I was not with Boston anymore, I learned so much from that season,” Yabusele said. “And it helped me for the second part of my career after that. It really pushed me. It really, like, I had that mentality of loving that basketball. Because I know I love basketball. But if you’re in a situation that you don’t play, it’s hard. I missed it. And I was like, you know what? I want to play now. I want to be somewhere where I always play, so I always try to pick the right situation now for me.”
Yabusele was picked 16th overall in the 2016 draft by the Celtics before spending two seasons in Boston from 2017-19. After he was waived by the organization, Yabusele ended up in China to continue his pro career. He said it didn’t go well, forcing him to spend roughly 1.5 months without a team. Yabusele revealed that was a wake-up call as he hoped and wished for his next opportunity.
“Going through that process and just waiting like that, I was like, no, this is — it’s impossible,” Yabusele said. “This is not what I want. A couple years ago, I was drafted first-round, pick 16. How am I in this situation? I put myself into the situation to really tell me the truth about what was not right, what would I do wrong and stuff like that. I questioned myself a lot, then I went and started working out. I was like, get that mindset that, okay, I’m gonna prove everybody wrong.”
Yabusele then got his next chance with ASVEL in his native France. He played five games with them before getting re-signed. That break allowed him to sign with Real Madrid, which is where he spent three seasons, including winning a EuroLeague title. After Yabusele starred for France on their way to the silver medal at the Paris Olympics, the attention was back on him.
Yabusele is looking for his next team once again. But this time, he should have a lot more confidence he’ll land with a new squad. The Sixers have been vocal about wanting to bring him back to the organization. Other teams could also come calling. Yabusele averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 70 games last season. He also shot 38.0% on his 3-pointers as the 6-foot-8 forward fits well into the NBA game.
“I really, really want to stay in the NBA, now that I have a real reason over there I want to do some more,” Yabusele said. “Watching the playoffs, you watch those guys having fun, you always look, I want to be there. My competitor side is really pushing me to work hard this summer, try to get everything that I can to come back next season and crush it even more.”
