It’s done! Guerschon Yabusele is back in the NBA. On his Instagram account, the Dreux native, who is expected to join the Philadelphia Sixers, said goodbye to Real Madrid on Thursday, August 29.
After a successful Olympic tournament (silver medalist) where he was one of the best French players, Guerschon Yabusele had, once again, caught the eye of NBA franchises. On Thursday, August 29, the Drouais made his departure from Real Madrid official on his Instagram account and should sign with the Philadelphia Sixers.
Interview: We can do something great at the Olympics
It’s a return across the Atlantic for the “Dancing Bear”, nickname given by the Boston Celtics during the first stint in the NBA (2017 to 2019) of the power forward who had not been able to establish himself, playing episodically with the Massachusetts franchise (6 minutes on average).
Seven titles with Real Madrid
Cut in 2019 by Boston, the Frenchman joined China (Nanking), a country where he had already spent a stint in 2016, in Shanghai, just after being drafted by the Celtics in 16th position. In 2020, with the Chinese championship stopped by the Covid-19 epidemic, Yabusele returned to France and Asvel, where he won the cup-championship double.
Following his first titles, he joined Real Madrid and became a major player, winning seven titles (2 times Spanish champion, 3 Super Cups, 1 Copa del Rey and 1 Euroleague).
“I want to go back to the NBA, but I play for the best team in Europe and I win titles. Why leave that to polish a bench there (in the NBA)?” he had said in the daily newspaper. The Teamin January 2024. This was therefore before the Paris Games which would propel him to the top of the bill.
€1.8 million to pay for his transfer
He will be one of the major Blues during the Olympic final phase, with 22 points against Canada in the quarter-finals, then 17 against Germany in the semi-finals and another 20 points against the USA in the final, without forgetting a monstrous dunk on LeBron James, which went down in history.
[Exclusif] Olympic star Guerschon Yabusele, passing through Dreux: “I dream of playing in the USA, but nothing is official”
After this astonishing journey, Guerschon Yabusele would soon see the NBA take an interest in him again: in addition to the Sixers, the Los Angeles Clippers and the Cleveland Cavaliers.
During his visit to Dreux, Tuesday August 27, 2024, at The Republican Echo When asked about his desire to play in the United States, he replied: “I’ve never hidden it, I’ve been thinking about it since I was little. It was a dream. When I went there the first time, I didn’t have the chance to really express myself on the field. I’m looking forward to this second chance.”
The Pennsylvania franchise finally hit the jackpot.
Guerschon Yabusele dunks on LeBron James during the Olympic final against the United States.
However, this transfer came late for Real Madrid, who were counting on the Frenchman who still had one year left on his contract, and the Merengue club set his exit clause at €2.5 million.
However, the amount owed by the acquiring club, in this case the Philadelphia Sixers, is capped by American League regulations and cannot exceed $850,000 (746,000 euros). Which implies that the remaining balance, nearly €1.8 million, is the responsibility of the player, who is almost the loser in this transaction, since Yabusele would receive €1.9 million during his first year at the Sixers. The newspaper The Team
revealed a few days ago that “Real Madrid would agree to stagger the debt” of the Frenchman.
A dunk that could pay off
In order to repay his debt in the medium term, the Drouais hopes for a long-term signing in the NBA after 2025. However, his dunk on LeBron James, which went around the world, is already the subject of marketing monetization (posters, cards, etc.).
At 28, Yabusele is the 15th Frenchman in the NBA, the third oldest after Nicolas Batum (35 years old/LA Clippers) and Rudy Gobert (32 years old/Minnesota Timberwolves).
