Former Boston Celtics first-round pick Guerschon Yabusele, who played 74 games with Boston from 2017 to 2019 after being taken No. 16 in the 2016 NBA draft, jokingly hinted at a return. He asked The Boston Globe's Gary Washburn to lobby for the Celtics to take him back.
In France's 73-69 Olympic semifinals win over Germany, Yabusele scored 22 points on 6-of-9 shooting and snagged five rebounds. After the game, Yabusele turned to Washburn and said, "You gotta tell to bring me back."
But do the Celtics have the room to have him on the roster?
Guerschon Yabusele jokingly pitches Celtics reuinion after helping France beat Germany in the Olympics
Yabusele is a relic of the Kyrie Irving years. And not in a good way. Yabusele never got another shot in the NBA after playing under Brad Stevens, and it likely had to do with his sub-33% three-point shooting and propensity to foul.
Just had a moment with Guerschon Yabusele, who recognized me and said smiling, "You gotta tell (the #Celtics) to bring me back." Yabu was a former BOS first-round pick. Plays now for Real Madrid.
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) August 8, 2024
He's become a winner overseas, bringing home two Liga ACB championships with Real Madrid and a EuroLeague championship, and there's undoubtedly a home for him somewhere.
But Boston may not be the best landing spot considering how Brad Stevens has conducted his business.
Under the new CBA, every dollar counts. Stevens has spent his way into tax-payer purgatory, so every additional signing takes on a greater meaning.
Yabusele would cost more than an undrafted player who can be brought up through the Maine G League developmental system. After the success of Sam Hauser, who went from an undrafted player to a valuable role player, that may be the preferable route at this point for Stevens. Neemias Queta was another G League success story who landed an extension from the front office.
The Dancing Bear did the right thing for his career, because even if Boston doesn't consider him, his name is now in the news. But the Celtics will likely go in a different direction with their 15th and final roster spot if they decide to fill it at all.
Though he never panned out in Boston, fans should still have fun watching Yabusele compete against Team USA in the gold-medal game. And he's been on fire in the Olympics thus far, so an NBA return could be in his future.