NBA
Guerschon Yabusele signed with the Knicks because he wants ‘to play for something’ in 2025-26
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated4 hours ago on July 15, 2025
With the 16th pick in the 2016 NBA draft, Guerschon Yabusele was selected by the Celtics out of France. Yabusele played two seasons for Boston before they waived him in July 2019.
Following his release from the Celtics, Yabusele took his career overseas and had to find his way back to the NBA. The 29-year-old never gave up and eventually signed with the 76ers ahead of the 2024-25 season. As a free agent for 2025-26, Yabusele signed a two-year, $12 million contract with the New York Knicks. In a recent interview, Yabusele said he joined the Knicks because he wanted “to play for something” this upcoming season.
Guerschon Yabusele should fit in seamlessly with the New York Knicks
Guerschon Yabusele talks about his decision to join the Knicks 🔥
“I feel like their team really matched my DNA to fight, to play hard… I really think in their system, I can be really helpful”
(🎥 @skweektv) pic.twitter.com/VRnKR5kP71
— The Strickland (@TheStrickland) July 4, 2025
After a five-year absence from the NBA, Guerschon Yabusele made his return in 2024-25. It took years of hard work and dedication to make it back to basketball’s biggest stage. Upon being waived by Boston, Yabusele took his career overseas. He played in China and Spain for several seasons. That included time in China with the Shanghai Sharks and three seasons in Spain with Real Madrid.
Guerschon Yabusele was part of Team France for the 2024 Paris Olympics, and he earned himself an NBA contract. His years of determination to get to the NBA had finally paid off. Yabusele signed a one-year deal with the 76ers ahead of the 2024-25 season. The big man played in 70 games for the Sixers last season and made 43 starts.
Guerschon Yabusele shot 38% from 3pt last season and had a 59.8% eFG%.
Really nice addition to the bench for the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/aqpR1sHSS5
— KnicksNation (@KnicksNation) July 1, 2025
He averaged 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game. Additionally, Yabusele averaged 27.1 minutes per contest. With his productive 2024-25 campaign, Guerschon Yabusele signed with the Knicks. It was a two-year $12 million deal with a player option in the second year. The former first-round pick will be a valuable piece off the bench for New York in 2025-26.
Recently, Guerschon Yabusele spoke with Arthur Puybertier of EuroBasket. He detailed his reasoning for signing with New York this offseason. Yabusele said a goal of his is to compete for a championship. That’s something the Knicks could offer him. They’ve been contenders in the East for a few seasons now. Additionally, New York’s offer to Yabusele was higher than Philadelphia’s. The veteran front-court player believes his DNA matches the style of basketball the Knicks like to play. How effective can Yabusele be in 2025-26?
