Michael Nyarko
France forward Guerschon Yabusele has signed a one-year contract with the Philadelphia 76ers, according to HoopsHype’s Michael A. Scotto.
This signing is somewhat surprising, given that Yabusele’s current team, Real Madrid, has a $2.5 million buyout clause.
Since NBA teams can only contribute up to $850,000 towards an international player’s buyout without it impacting their salary cap, it’s likely that Yabusele will need to personally cover the remainder to finalize his departure from Madrid.
Yabusele made a strong impression during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where he played a pivotal role in securing a silver medal for France. After the tournament, the 6-foot-8 forward expressed a strong desire to return to the NBA.
During the Olympics, he averaged 14 points while shooting 51.9% from the field. In the previous season with Real Madrid, Yabusele played in 64 games across all competitions, averaging 9.7 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.
His shooting was particularly impressive, with a 53.1% field goal percentage and 44.5% accuracy from three-point range.
Yabusele last appeared in the NBA in 2019, when he was waived by the Boston Celtics after two seasons and 74 games. He was the 16th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.