Tunisia World Cup

I remember watching Guerschon Yabusele during his NBA days and thinking this guy had something special. Standing at 6'8" with that unique combination of size and agility, he seemed like the perfect modern NBA forward. The French forward was selected 16th overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2016 NBA Draft, which tells you how highly teams thought of his potential. Yet here we are today, and he's no longer in the league. What exactly happened to his NBA career, and where did things go sideways?

Looking back at his stats, Yabusele played two seasons with the Celtics from 2017 to 2019, appearing in 74 games total. He averaged just 2.3 points and 1.3 rebounds in about 7 minutes per game. Those numbers don't exactly jump off the page, do they? I've always felt the Celtics never really gave him a proper chance to develop. They'd play him in short bursts, often in garbage time, then send him back to the G-League. It's tough for any young player to find rhythm that way, especially an international player adjusting to the NBA game. I recall watching him in the G-League where he'd put up solid numbers - around 15 points and 7 rebounds per game for the Maine Red Claws - but that never translated to consistent NBA minutes.

The NBA has become increasingly specialized, and teams want players who excel in specific roles. Yabusele was what I'd call a 'tweener' - not quite quick enough to guard smaller forwards consistently, yet not quite big enough to handle traditional centers. His three-point shooting was inconsistent at 32% from deep during his NBA stint, and while he showed flashes of playmaking, it wasn't enough to secure a permanent role. The Celtics eventually waived him in July 2019 to create roster space, and honestly, I think they gave up too soon. He was only 23 at the time, and many players take longer to develop, especially international prospects.

What's fascinating is how his career has unfolded since leaving the NBA. He returned to Europe and has been absolutely dominant for Real Madrid in the EuroLeague. This season, he's averaging around 12 points and 5 rebounds while shooting over 40% from three-point range - massive improvement from his NBA numbers. It makes me wonder if the issue wasn't just about his skills but about fit and development timing. Some players simply thrive better in different systems, and the European game suits his versatile skill set perfectly.

The reference to Barangay Ginebra's scoring distribution actually provides an interesting parallel to Yabusele's situation. When you see Brownlee putting up 49 points followed by Abarrientos with 18 and Rosario with 17, it shows how team construction and role definition matter. In the NBA, Yabusele was never going to be the primary option like Brownlee, but he could have developed into a reliable secondary contributor like Rosario's 17-point performance. The problem was he never found that defined role in Boston's system. Thompson's 8 points and Adamos' 7 in that game represent the kind of role player production Yabusele might have provided with better opportunity and development.

From my perspective watching international basketball, Yabusele's case highlights a broader issue with how NBA teams develop international talent. They often expect immediate contributions from draft picks, even when those players need time to adjust to a different style of play, different culture, and higher competition level. I've seen numerous international players struggle initially only to become solid contributors later - Marc Gasol being the prime example. Yabusele might have benefited from more patience and a clearer development path.

His current success in Europe proves the talent was always there. He's become a more confident shooter, a better decision-maker, and has refined his post game. At 28 years old now, he's in his prime and showing exactly why he was a first-round pick. Part of me wonders if we'll see him make an NBA comeback someday, similar to how players like James Nunnally have returned after developing overseas. The game has become more global, and teams are increasingly willing to look at established international players.

Ultimately, Yabusele's NBA story is one of untapped potential and questionable fit rather than lack of ability. He arrived in the league at a time when his particular skill set was still developing, and the team that drafted him wasn't in a position to nurture that development properly. While his NBA career may seem disappointing on surface, his subsequent success in Europe demonstrates that sometimes a player's journey takes unexpected turns. The basketball world is bigger than just the NBA, and Yabusele has found his place among Europe's elite - which is an impressive accomplishment in its own right.