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New Knicks Big Guerschon Yabusele Electrifies Eurobasket With Career-Best Performance

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated Sep 3, 2025 10:43 AM ET

The New York Knicks' big-name addition in this year's free agent class was former sixth man of the year Jordan Clarkson, who signed to a veteran minimum contract as NBA free agency started at the end of June.

Clarkson, at the age of 33, has his best basketball is in the rearview, but provides valuable depth for a Knicks team loaded with talent, but suffered from a lack of bench scoring options.

However, after the addition of Clarkson, the Knicks went out and signed former 76ers power forward Guerschon Yabusele to a two-year deal, making him their backup big behind OG Anunoby.

The addition of Yabu should not be slept on, and the French captain showed why during this year's Eurobasket tournament.

A Career-High Performance Makes Headlines

Yabusele, who has now captained Les Bleus to a 3-1 start in the FIBA tournament, posted a line of 36 points, including six triples, six rebounds, two blocks and a 60% field goal percentage as France triumphed to a 83-76 win over the previously unbeaten Polish national team in front of 9,000 home fans at Spodek Arena in Katowice.

Yabu's 36 points and six threes were all career-highs for the French national team.

"This victory is everybody"

–– French captain Guerschon Yabusele with huge game over host Poland at EuroBasket:

36 points
6 threes
6 rebounds
5 offensive
2 blockspic.twitter.com/AbrRSE4Ciz
— New York Basketball (@NBA_NewYork) September 2, 2025

Yabu had shown glimpses of the kind of mettled leadership needed to lead a mostly young French squad in the team's first four games, but his calm demeanor and strong performance was unleashed after his squad lost to Deni Avdija and Israel on Sunday.

These Knicks desperately needed scoring options outside of their top five, and with Mike Brown sure to draw from this deeper rotation to avoid burnout with his stars, Yabu brings a ton of versatility from the bench and will surely be one of the centers of the Knicks' second unit.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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