Spurs could sign player who is very familiar to Victor Wembanyama

The San Antonio Spurs may potentially be adding one of Victor Wembanyama’s countrymen this summer.

Rival teams are projecting San Antonio as a team to watch for forward Guerschon Yabusele when free agency begins on June 30, veteran NBA writer Marc Stein reported on Saturday. Yabusele is set to become an unrestricted free agent after spending last season with the Philadelphia 76ers.

The 29-year-old Yabusele was the No. 16 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. His first stint in the league did not quite pan out though, and he spent a half-decade playing overseas after the Boston Celtics waived him in 2019.

But Yabusele managed to raise his profile once again with superb play for France at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. With both Yabusele and the Spurs star center Wembanyama on their team, France made it all the way to the gold medal game against Team USA, eventually taking silver. Yabusele also provided one of the most memorable moments of the Olympics with an emphatic poster dunk on LeBron James in the gold medal game.

After the Olympics, Yabusele landed a one-year deal with the 76ers. He performed well in Philadelphia, averaging 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists per game in an expanded role thanks to the injury absences of Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey.

As for the Spurs, they are more than set at the guard position but need more big forwards to pair with Wembanyama in the frontcourt. Yabusele, who is 6-foot-8 and is known for his versatile defense too, could fit that mold perfectly. Being one of Wembanyama’s well-known teammates on the French team should boost Yabusele’s case as well.