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Former Celtics Draft Pick Reacts to Official Return to NBA With 76ers

Former Celtic Guerschon Yabusele made his 76ers debut on Monday.

Justin Grasso

Aug 8, 2024; Paris, France; France power forward Guerschon Yabusele (7) reacts during the second half against Germany in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images
Aug 8, 2024; Paris, France; France power forward Guerschon Yabusele (7) reacts during the second half against Germany in a men's basketball semifinal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images / Rob Schumacher-Imagn Images
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Guerschon’s Yabusele’s first run in the NBA spanned 74 games across two seasons. The former Boston Celtics 16th overall pick was waived in 2019.

Despite being a first-round selection, Yabusele didn’t immediately get a second shot in the NBA. First, there was a run in China. Then, he played in France. In 2021, Yabusele fired up a multi-year run in Spain with Real Madrid.

This past summer, Yabusele competed for France in the 2024 Paris Olympics. He helped his team achieve a silver medal as they fell short against Joel Embiid and Team USA in the gold medal game.

Shortly after a standout run in the Olympics, Yabusele earned an offer from the Philadelphia 76ers. After reaching a buyout with Real Madrid, the 28-year-old forward signed with the Sixers. On Monday night, Yabusele made his Sixers debut against the New Zealand Breakers for the team’s first preseason outing of the year.

It’s safe to say Yabusele’s return game was a success.

“I’m not going to lie, it felt amazing,” Yabusele said on Monday. “It felt amazing and to be able to get the win and for everybody on the team to be able to perform. It’s been a great night. It’s been a long road, but I’m happy to be here.”

Yabusele checked into Monday’s game for 16 minutes off the bench. Putting up six shots from the field, the veteran was perfect. By making six field goals and two free throws, Yabusele finished with 15 points. He also had one rebound, two assists, and a steal.

The preseason serves as an opportunity for Yabusele to earn a role in the Sixers’ primary rotation when the regular season rolls around. While one game is a small sample size, Yabusele left a great first impression. He’ll get an opportunity to build on that performance against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Friday.

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Justin Grasso
JUSTIN GRASSO

Title: Credentialed writer/reporter covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation Email: JustinGrasso32@Gmail.com Location: Philadelphia, PA Expertise: Reporting, insight, and analysis on the Sixers and the NBA  Justin Grasso is a credentialed writer and publisher covering the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated’s FanNation.  Grasso got his start in sports media in 2016 with FantasyPros, working the news desk, providing game-by-game player analysis and updates on the Portland Trail Blazers and the Golden State Warriors. By 2017, he joined FanSided’s Philadelphia Eagles site as a staff writer. After spending one season covering the Eagles as a staff writer, Grasso was promoted to become the site’s Co-Editor. For the next two NFL seasons, he covered the Eagles closely before broadening his NFL coverage. For a brief stint, Grasso covered the NFL on a national basis after joining Heavy.com as an NFL news desk writer. In 2019, Grasso joined the 76ers' beat on a part-time basis, stepping into a role with South Jersey’s 97.3 ESPN. Ahead of the 2019-2020 NBA season, he concluded a three-year stint covering the Eagles and joined the Sixers beat full-time. Grasso has covered the 76ers exclusively since then for Sports Illustrated. He is a member of the Pro Basketball Writer’s Association.  Twitter: @JGrasso_ Instagram: @JGrassoNBA

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