Jayson Tatum and the Boston Celtics crossed paths with an outdated buddy throughout their Sunday evening matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Guerschon Yabusele, Boston’s sixteenth total decide from the 2016 NBA draft, hosted his former crew and some former teammates and rose to the event. Yabusele scored 21 factors, shot 8-of-13 from the ground and grabbed six rebounds within the 118-110 Celtics victory, placing everybody on discover, together with the reigning champions.
“I really like Guersch,” Tatum advised reporters postgame, per The Athletic’s Jay King. “I really like that he’s getting a chance. I feel simply the most important factor is he’s getting a chance and appears like he’s actually taking good care of his physique. He seems like he’s in nice form, he seems like he’s misplaced some weight. And he’s getting a chance to play and he’s taking part in aggressive with confidence. So I’m blissful that he’s again within the league and thriving.”
It’s been a rollercoaster trip for Yabusele, who signed a one-year, $2.1 million cope with the Sixers within the offseason and is now linked as a commerce goal for the C’s. Three days stay till Thursday’s 3 p.m. ET deadline, and if Boston president of basketball operations Brad Stevens works some magic, Yabusele’s profession might come full circle with a reunion.
Yabusele lasted two seasons with the Celtics earlier than the crew launched him and triggered his six-year recess from NBA basketball. From there, Yabusele went abroad to remodel and enhance, spending time in China and with Actual Madrid Baloncesto in Spain.
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Boston, on the time, didn’t have a spot for Yabusele to develop. The Celtics had been stacked with Gordon Hayward and Kyrie Irving, and function gamers Marcus Morris, Terry Rozier, Daniel Theis and Aaron Baynes coming off the bench. Yabusele wasn’t considered as a professional NBA expertise, despite the fact that Celtics followers gifted him with “The Dancing Bear” nickname, however the cut up paid off.
Yabusele joined Rudy Gobert, Victor Wembanyama, Nicholas Batum and Evan Fournier to characterize France within the 2024 Paris Olympics this previous summer season — and performed a useful function. He averaged 14 factors, the second-most of anybody on the crew, together with 3.3 rebounds and a 12.3 effectivity ranking throughout six video games.
It wasn’t sufficient to place Group France over the sting as soon as they crossed paths with Group USA within the gold medal matchup. Nonetheless, it did get Yabusele’s foot again within the NBA.
Now as a member of the Sixers, Yabusele has averaged 11 factors, 5.5 rebounds and two assists, capturing 51.5% from the ground and 40.2% from 3-point vary. The 6-foot-8, 260-pound ahead has made probably the most of his return, making the most of the alternatives which have opened amid Philadelphia’s injury-riddled marketing campaign.
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Yabusele’s inventory worth has slingshot, however a return to the Celtics might be the following smartest thing.
When Boston hosted the Sixers within the preseason, and Yabusele made his return to TD Backyard, the veteran ahead opened up in regards to the feelings of being again for the primary time since departing in 2019.
“It’s a particular feeling, for certain,” Yabusele stated in October, per CLNS Media. “Particularly yesterday once we had been driving across the metropolis. Simply having the ability to come again, it was actually a particular feeling. Coming right here to the sector, seeing all of the modifications. However can’t look forward to the setting for tonight, to have the ability to be with the followers, simply benefit from the second.”
If the Celtics fail to accumulate Yabusele by Thursday, the crew might goal him within the offseason with a multi-year contract supply as an alternative.
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