The French team has reached the much-coveted final of the 2024 Paris Olympics, securing at least a silver medal in case of a loss against the USA on Saturday, August 10 at 9:30 PM at the Bercy Arena! But if this team has made it this far, one name resonates strongly in the hearts of the French: Guerschon Yabusele!
From Boxing to Basketball
For those who don’t know him, the “Dancing Bear,” as he’s nicknamed, is a key player for the French team, currently playing for Real Madrid in club competitions after stints in the G-League, the NBA, and China. The native of Dreux is one of those players who arrived in the U.S. with incredible potential, only for it to remain untapped by NBA franchises. Because that’s how the NBA works—not necessarily the most talented players shine, but those who fit within the system.
Yet, “Guersch” showed great determination. After returning from a loan in China, he was cut by the Boston Celtics, returned to Asia, and then came back to France for two years before eventually landing in Spain, with Luka Doncic’s former team (we could have said Modric, but it’s not the same sport). His stats have always been respectable, even at the highest level in Europe.
However, he wasn’t initially destined for basketball. Guerschon, whose parents left the Democratic Republic of Congo for France, started with boxing, inspired by his father, a former boxer who later became a coach.
Two Outstanding Performances by Guerschon Yabusele
So, it’s no surprise that the silver medalist in Tokyo in 2021 has brought power and style to this French team that seemed to be struggling two games ago, during their group stage loss to Germany, the reigning world champions. Yabusele has been electrifying.
Against Canada, he delivered a stellar performance to end the golden dreams of a team that was said to be capable of toppling the American Dream Team. He scored 22 points, with 6/8 shooting, grabbed 5 rebounds, and provided one assist, all capped off with an 8/9 performance from the free-throw line to send the French team to the semifinals. Not to mention, Cordinier’s equally brilliant performance with 20 points!
And in those semifinals, Yabu ultimately crushed the Germans in a revenge-fueled atmosphere, assisted once again by the Martiniquais Isaïa Cordinier, a true breath of fresh air in these games (16 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals). Neither the Wagner brothers nor Dennis Schröder could do anything about it.
Second Olympic Final Against Team USA
For the Americans, the title is easy to find. Yabusele, “The Knockout King,” the king of knockout matches! “Give my guy Yabusele another shot in the NBA,” as you can read on Reddit or social media. He had already won them over back then, and even from afar, his impact lingers. Until last year, his celebration was still featured in the NBA 2K video game. He joked with a journalist he knew from his time in Boston, saying, “Tell the Celtics to bring me back!” Rumor has it that Boston might already be working on it. Time will tell.
While attention is on the generational talent Victor Wembanyama, also of Congolese descent, Cordinier and Yabusele have stood out to ensure another showdown against the team on a mission for gold, LeBron James’ Dream Team!
So, let’s give credit where credit is due: Thank you, Guerschon Yabusele, for these beautiful emotions!
