Knicks Forward Shows Up Giannis Antetokounmpo in EuroBasket Win

The 6'8 forward was feeling himself in crushing Greece from 3-point distance, draining several deep looks in rapid succession. Antetokounmpo, gifted a defensive player as he is, couldn't rotate over to Yabusele fast enough to frighten him with any closeouts, as the "Dancing Bear" simply shot over him with his high release point.

Yabusele has been considered one of the players worth keeping tabs on for NBA fans attempting to follow EuroBasket, especially as the elimination stage creeps closer. The stretch big, having stormed back into the league last season after a half-decade hiatus, put himself on the map with some inspired play on France's Olympic team in 2024 before sticking the landing in his first year back in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers.

He made the veteran's minimum contract he signed in Philadelphia look like a bargain immediately, playing consistently on a team that needed it and earning glowing reviews from the Sixers following his one-and-done stint.

Yabusele went on to be the Knicks' biggest free agency get of the summer, as they look to add the experienced shooter and finisher to a presumed Eastern Conference favorite. His big performance wasn't just an advertisement to what he has to offer to New York, though; who he did it against played a big role in how the matchup was perceived.

His getting the better of Antetokounmpo was something of a win for Knicks fans, especially with Yabusele's outshooting his Greek counterpart to go along with the win. The 2x MVP went 4/7 from the field against the characteristically burly French front line in the loss.

It wasn't long ago that the Milwaukee Bucks legend was rumored to be desiring a change of scenery, and the Knicks once looked poised to bag the star forward. They attempted to trade for him mere months ago to no avail, as the Bucks sounded off on their intentions of trying to keep him happy by bringing in a variety of role players who they envision as supporting pieces for the next era of Milwaukee's contention.

The Knicks couldn't successfully lure him away from the only NBA team he's ever known, but they can settle for their new forward punking their dream target on an international stage.