By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Guerschon Yabusele steps into EuroBasket 2025 as not only one of France’s most experienced players, but also as captain of a new-look national team. The New York Knicks forward has been handed the armband at a time when Les Bleus are missing several star names, including Victor Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier, and Matthias Lessort. To make matters worse, Vincent Poirier was ruled out during the preparation period.
Instead, France will rely on its new wave of talent — teenagers Alex Sarr and Zaccharie Risacher, along with Bilal Coulibaly — while Yabusele provides leadership, experience, and continuity. Ahead of the tournament in Katowice, where France will compete in Group D alongside hosts Poland, Slovenia, Iceland, Belgium, and Israel, Yabusele spoke about pride, pressure, and the responsibility of captaining his country.
Asked what it means to wear the French national team jersey, Yabusele didn’t hesitate:
“Just proudness. Every time I wear this jersey and step on the court, I just feel proud — watching my kids, my wife, my family, my friends in the crowd, representing my country. It’s just an honor. Every time I step on the court I want to make sure everybody who comes to watch knows that I’m wearing it with pride and giving everything I have,” Yabusele said during FIBA media interview.
For Yabusele, EuroBasket is unlike anything else in international basketball.
“It’s the most competitive competition in terms of pure basketball. And especially this year, it’s going to be the best we’ve ever seen because every team is bringing its best players. Everybody is going there to try to win the gold. We’ll see some of the best basketball ever.”
France will be without five of its mainstays, but Yabusele insists that the team remains united:
“I can’t lie about it, they were precious for us. But not to throw shade on anybody else, because everybody here deserves to be here. We’ve been practicing hard, fighting hard. We have a great team for the competition, and we’ll also fight for those guys who couldn’t make it.”
Now wearing the captain’s armband, Yabusele admits the role comes with added responsibility.
“Definitely more responsibility. These young guys are coming up, so I’m trying to be an example on and off the court. I try to be the link between the coach and the players, but also keep my ears open. If they want to talk about life, basketball, whatever’s on their mind, we can have that discussion. I want them to know I’m here for them and I’ll fight for them. It’s all about communication.”
France’s roster may lack some veterans, but Yabusele sees plenty of upside in its younger players.
“The energy is just top. Everything they’ve shown in practice and games has been huge. They’ve got young legs, that mentality where they don’t care, they just go fight, jump, attack. They’re so athletic. We know how tough the European Championship is, and they’ll bring that bit of craziness we need.”
When asked what makes this team special, Yabusele pointed to chemistry rather than tactics.
“If I text the group chat and say, ‘Who wants to get food?’ I’ll get 13 responses. Everybody understands how important it is to be here, and we just like each other. It’s more than basketball — and in this type of competition, that’s what you need.”
France’s path in EuroBasket won’t be easy, with Luka Doncic’s Slovenia, Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greece, Nikola Jokić’s Serbia, and other powerhouses waiting down the road. But Yabusele welcomes the challenge.
“Those are some of the best players in the world. That’s why I think this is going to be one of the biggest competitions. It’s going to be tough, and in terms of basketball, one of the purest. They’re huge for their teams — not just scoring, but passing, playmaking. We’ll try to keep them low in scoring and assists. But at the end of the day, every team is dangerous. We just have to focus on ourselves, play our game, and whatever happens, happens.”
Finally, Yabusele was asked what skill he would borrow from the EuroBasket stars, such as Antetokounmpo.
“He’s pretty tall, he can take two steps from the free-throw line and finish. He’s just a great finisher, a great player for sure.”
How about Luka Doncic?
“He was playing in Madrid before me, and when I got there I was impressed by what he had already done before the NBA. What he brings to the court says a lot about him. Then his first year in the NBA, you saw what he did. We’re going to play him at the tournament, he’s in our group. I’ll make sure he doesn’t feel like I’m his fan (laughs), but I respect his game. It’ll be a great game. Great player.”