Guerschon Yabusele isn’t thinking about Boston anymore: ‘I’m waiting for the Olympics, not the NBA’

Guerschon Yabusele confessed he’s finally enjoying his basketball game as he’s established himself as one of the top power forwards in Europe after joining ASVEL four seasons ago. 

Once the 16th pick the 2016 NBA Draft, the French player only competed in two campaigns for the Celtics, followed by some years in China.

Ever since he joined Spanish greats Real Madrid, he says there is no turning back for him. In a recent interview with L’Equipe, he revealed the he’s not actively considering a return to the NBA.

Guerschon Yabusele has only one thing on his mind for the summer – Olympic Games🗣️ pic.twitter.com/KOYGpGc1UF

— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) January 20, 2024

“I no longer want to spend seasons with the Boston Celtics or in China, not knowing when to play and when not to play. I would like to return to the NBA, but I play for the best team in Europe and win championships. Why would I leave that to sit on a bench? I will join the French National Team after the end of the season this summer, so I am waiting for the Olympics, not the NBA,” Yabusele confessed.

Guerschon revealed that he’s only thinking about this current campaign, as he wishes to remain in the spotlight and be taken into consideration by the French federation to participate in this year’s 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

“This is a great source of pride. My family is happy, and I am proud. It has been mentioned that the scheduling might coincide with the team’s preparation period, but hopefully, we can find a way for me to attend if I am selected. It is not every day that you get the chance to carry the Olympic flame in the city where you were born,” he added.

In recent years, NBA franchises have opened their scouting networks to look for the best talent around the globe. Utah Jazz CEO revealed last week that they’ve been searching in places they had never considered in the past.

“We have scouts all over the world — almost every basketball country throughout the world,” shared Danny Ainge last Friday. “It’s a worldwide sport, and we got to find them all.”

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver says ‘U.S. players are recognizing they have to pick up their game’

One of the most interesting takeaways from NBA Commissioner Adam Silver in his press conference before this month’s Paris Game 2024 between the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Brooklyn Nets at the city’s Accor Arena, was about the league’s international growth.

Even though the executive mostly dedicated praise to French athletes, as Victor Wembanyama is the best example of them all, he talked about the pressure that U.S. players are feeling as more and more foreign stars are dominating the NBA.

As the winners of the past five MVP awards have been handed out to European stars, Silver believes the pressure is on. “U.S. players are recognizing they have to pick up their game,” Silver said. “There’s just a larger pool of players competing for every spot on the floor, and just look at the level of competition we have right now.

“David Stern, who began this international movement, if he were here today, he’d be incredibly proud of that number.”