A bold decision by Vincent Collet, the head coach of France’s men’s basketball team, helped propel the host country to the gold medal game after an inauspicious start that pre-dated the Olympics.
France entered group play having lost their last four exhibition contests. They then squeaked by Japan, 94-90, and lost to Germany by 14. Entering their quarterfinal matchup against Canada, widely regarded as the second-most talented team in the tournament behind the U.S., Collet moved four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert to the second unit, starting Guerschon Yabusele in his place.
The six-foot-eight power forward responded with a team-high 22 points, helping lead France past Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jamal Murray, and a roster featuring ten NBA players.
In France’s final three games, Yabusele averaged 19.7 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.0 steals per contest. That includes a 20-point performance in the gold medal round against Team USA, where he posterized LeBron James.
GUERSCHON YABUSELE ON LEBRON JAMES. 😳
📺 NBC and Peacock | #ParisOlympics pic.twitter.com/cjrH6Q9Epd
— NBC Olympics & Paralympics (@NBCOlympics) August 10, 2024
On the heels of an impressive Olympic showcase, Yabusele, who the Boston Celtics selected with the 16th overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, has made it clear he’d like a second chance on basketball’s most prominent stage.
Been waiting for a 2nd chance.. I’m ready 😤🧸
— Guerschon Yabusele (@yabusele28) August 11, 2024
In his two years with the Celtics, he averaged 2.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 6.6 minutes of floor time across 74 games. He converted on 32.3 percent of the 0.9 threes he hoisted.
As a more seasoned player than the one who left Boston at 23, Yabusele, who turns 29 in December, just put together an Olympic run that will at least have teams considering whether to extend an invitation for him to join them at training camp.
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