Nov 24, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Guerschon Yabusele (28) reacts with guard Jared McCain (20) against the Los Angeles Clippers in the first quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Jared McCain Talks About Former Sixer's Departure

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Declan Harris | Last updated Aug 20, 2025 4:56 PM ET

One of the big talking points surrounding the first few weeks of the Philadelphia 76ers free agency window was regarding their ability to retain two key players, Quentin Grimes and Guerschon Yabusele.

Given the limited space the Sixers' front office had to work with, bringing back both was going to be quite the challenge, which was made apparent when the French forward departed the City of Brotherly Love for The Big Apple, as he signed with the New York Knicks.

Yabusele came to Philadelphia in the previous offseason, looking to prove that he still deserved a spot in the league, having spent the last five seasons playing overseas in the LNB Elite and Liga ACB, amongst others, having made his first move abroad after a lackluster two-season stint on the Boston Celtics.

The Frenchman would more than prove himself during his time with the Sixers, averaging 11 points and 5.6 rebounds per game across his 70 apperances under Nick Nurse. This would be the catalyst for Yabusele being one of the bigger names in the opening week of free agency.

Thank you Philly ✊❤️ pic.twitter.com/SIdx8EiBEu
— Guerschon Yabusele (@yabusele28) July 8, 2025

Despite only being around for a season, it was apparent that Yabusele was seriously connected to the Philadelphia faithful, which could be seen in a post he made following his move to the Knicks. But the 29-year-old also formed serious bonds with his teammates, one of which being Jared McCain, who talked about Yabusele's departure in a recent interview with 76ers On SI.

What did McCain have to say about Yabusele?

If one thing was apparent about McCain's feelings towards his former teammate, it was that their friendship went beyond the court, with the former Duke star explaining that he could reach out to Yabusele for anything he needed.

Man, I'm gonna miss him, that's one of the best people I've ever been around," McCain told 76ers On SI. "I could go to him for anything; a lot of my teammates are like that, but him, I gravitated to a lot. He was just super nice, just a good person and fun to play with, also another great energy person, so I'm sad to see him go."

The departure hasn't stopped the two from reaching out, with McCain noting that the two will still see each other a lot given the numerous games that Philadelphia and New York have against one another throughout the season.

"I talked to him a few times since he left, but I'll see him a lot in New York," explained McCain.

As things stand, the Big Apple won't be where the two sides will face off first, as they are set to clash in the NBA's Abu Dhabi games in the preseason, with their first match occurring on Oct. 2.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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