Report: Guerschon Yabusele joins 76ers after breakout Olympics

Guerschon Yabusele has agreed to join the Philadelphia 76ers on a one-year, $2.1 million contract, according to U.S. broadcaster ESPN, after playing well for the French national team at the recently-concluded 2024 Paris Summer Olympics.

Yabusele was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the 16th pick in 2016, and made 74 appearances for the team across the 2017-18 and 2018-19 seasons. But he was waived after averaging just 2.3 points and 6.6 minutes per game.

The power forward spent the 2016-17 season in the Chinese Basketball Association (CBA) with the Shanghai Sharks, averaging 21.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per outing. He briefly returned to the CBA during the 2019-20 campaign, playing in 15 games with the Nanjing Monkey Kings.

Yabusele started his professional career in 2014 and spent two seasons at French LNB Pro A club Rouen. He later spent parts of two campaigns back in France with AVSEL, before competing for Spanish Liga ACB powerhouse Real Madrid for the last three years.

The 28-year-old averaged 14.0 points and 3.3 rebounds per game while shooting 51.9 percent from the field for France at Paris 2024. The hosts reached the final and kept things close against the USA before losing 98-87 following Stephen Curry's decisive 3-point shooting outburst in the closing minutes.

Yabusele scored 20 points in the final, second-highest on the French team behind Victor Wembanyama's 25. He also completed an epic 2+1 play after dunking over LeBron James.

Standing 2.03 meters tall and weighing 117 kilograms, Yabusele is projected to provide a solid backup option for Philadelphia at the power forward position, where the 76ers previously only had Caleb Martin. They were eliminated by the New York Knicks in the first round of last season's NBA Playoffs and haven't reached the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001.

Philadelphia has made a series of big moves in the offseason to enhance its squad, including signing Paul George to a four year, $212 million deal. The club also retained Tyrese Maxey with a five year, $205 million extension and added Martin, Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon to enhance their strength.

The 76ers will host Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center in their 2024-25 regular season opener on October 23.