It’s been a very difficult season for Guerschon Yabusele. The French power forward with a past at Real Madrid is not finding his place with the Knicks, where he does not have the prominence he expected, has lost confidence and has even found himself with some controversy over his possible overweight
The French player arrived in New York from the Sixers, where he had a standout year. After dazzling NBA franchises at the Paris Games, with a media block of LeBron James included, he left Real Madrid at the last minute in the summer of 2024 and took advantage of the many injuries in Philadelphia to make his mark. He averaged 11.0 points on 38.0% shooting from three-point range, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists.
He had taken a risk by embarking on his second NBA adventure – he was with the Celtics between 2017 and 2019 – even having to pay his way out of the Madrid club and lose money. The deal with the Sixers was for just one season, but the plan worked out well: perform at a high level to earn a longer and more lucrative contract. Although it was difficult to find, he landed with the Knicks, signing for two years for $12 million.
I’m not going to lie: It’s hard
A player of his profile could fit in New York: able to open the court with his three-pointers, go to the hoop with power, post up thanks to his strength, crash the boards… But he is doing none of that. In 25 games, he averages just 9.8 minutes and only twice has he played more than 15. His statistics, like his time on the court, have been reduced by a third compared to last season: 3.3 points with a poor 29.2% in three-pointers, 2.2 rebounds and 0.4 assists. Only one game has he scored more than 10 points.
One of his worst games
“I’m not going to lie: it’s hard,” admitted Yabusele, who did not play in the NBA Cup final and had a terrible performance in the Knicks’ hard-fought win in Indiana. He finished with three points and 1/9 shooting from the field. In the 11 minutes he was on the court, his team lost by 17. He was hasty, distracted, and anxious to do well.
If his performance wasn’t already a problem, the power forward has also had to deal with criticism for being overweight. When the Knicks made their players’ metrics official, they gave him 128 kilos. No one on the roster weighed more. And in the entire NBA, only five players, all of them well over his 2.01 meters. He had to come out and defend himself: “Last year it wasn’t a problem, so why is it a problem this year? Also, I weigh less.” The Sixers, however, had weighed him at 117 kilos.
Given Yabusele’s poor performances and his difficult fit in Mike Brown’s schemes, the Knicks could include him in a trade in an attempt to make a move that will help them dominate the Eastern Conference. The Frenchman’s future in New York does not look promising and it remains to be seen what will happen in the NBA. In the summer he has a player option for $5.7 million, while in Europe more than one team would open the door for him
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