NBA: Philadelphia 76ers Sign French Olympian Guerschon Yabusele – News18

French Olympic power forward Guerschon Yabusele has agreed on terms to sign an NBA contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to multiple reports on Sunday.

Yabusele helped France capture a silver medal behind the United States’s collection of NBA stars at the Paris Olympics.

According to ESPN and NBC Sports Philadelphia, the former Boston Celtics reserve will sign a one-year deal worth $2.1 million.

The 28-year-old Frenchman played 16 games for the Celtics over two seasons ending in 2019. He spent a season in China and another in France before going to Real Madrid and helping the Spanish side win a 2022-23 EuroBasket crown.

During his past three seasons in the Spanish capital of Madrid, Yabusele, the Dancing Bear, has won two ACB Liga Endesa titles, three Spanish Super Cups and the 2023 Euroleague in Kaunas, Lithuania.

Yabusele recently hinted that he would jump at the chance to return to the best basketball league on the planet. “I’ve been waiting for a second chance… I’m ready,” the France international wrote on X after the men’s final at the Paris Games (he won the silver medal after losing in an exciting final against the United States). A message that many already interpreted as a desire to try his luck again in the North American league.

His Olympic performance included a sensational dunk over LeBron James in the championship game.

Yabusele scored 22 points against Canada in an Olympic quarter-final, added 17 points on 7-of-11 shooting to spark a semi-final win over Germany and netted 20 points against the Americans.

The 76ers, who added Paul George to a lineup that includes US Olympian Joel Embiid, could use Yabusele in a primary backup role behind Caleb Martin.

(This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed – AFP)