Guerschon Yabusele left the NBA last summer to sign a three-year contract with Panathinaikos, citing low offers and a lack of guaranteed playing time in the United States.
After finishing his second stint in the NBA split between the Philadelphia 76ers, New York Knicks, and Chicago Bulls, the French forward chose a return to Europe. Orange Actualités reported his decision in November 2026, detailing his move to the current EuroLeague leaders.
“Je pensais avoir bien rebondi à Chicago, avoir prouvé que je pouvais jouer,” Yabusele told L’Équipe.
Weighing Family Stability
Yabusele explained that the Minnesota Timberwolves offered him a minimal, partially guaranteed deal with the prospect of being traded before the February 2027 deadline. He weighed that proposal against the stability required for his young family.
“Pour un contrat minime, sans être sûr de jouer, voulais-je imposer à ma famille, mes enfants, deux nouveaux déménagements en six mois, encore des changements d’écoles, etc ?” Yabusele told L’Équipe.
Building Through the Ranks
The forward spent his early career with the Boston Celtics after being selected 16th overall in the 2016 NBA Draft. He logged limited minutes across three seasons before building his game with ASVEL and Real Madrid.
Yabusele reignited his NBA stock during the 2024 Olympic Games with standout performances, eventually paying his own buyout to join Philadelphia. A subsequent stop in New York yielded just 2.7 points per night before a February move to Chicago restored his production to 10 points per contest.
Chasing EuroLeague Success
Now averaging 8.7 points in 23 minutes for Panathinaikos, Yabusele focuses on competing at the top of the EuroLeague standings. French supporters await his return to domestic soil when Panathinaikos visits Paris on March 11 and ASVEL on March 23.
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