By Eurohoops team / info@eurohoops.net
Guerschon Yabusele is back in France after what he described as one of the toughest seasons of his career.
In the first episode of his new series Summer With The Bear, titled Back Home, the French forward reflected on a long NBA campaign that took him from New York to Chicago, while also looking ahead to a decisive summer with the French national team and free agency.
“My last game was on April 13th. For me, it was a little different because I didn’t play the last two games of the season, I had an arm injury. Nothing serious, you know, but I had to take care of it,” Yabusele said.
After taking some time off with his family in Hawaii, Yabusele returned to France and quickly got back to work, with national team duties on the horizon.
“Team France was coming up in June, I told myself the sooner I get back, the better I’d be for the camp, and also for two qualifying games that are going to be important.”
Looking back on the season, Yabusele admitted it was not what he had hoped for.
“This season I had this year was probably one of the toughest seasons I’ve had because things didn’t really go the way I hoped they would. There were challenges, but that’s also why I play basketball and why I love it. It’s all about the work it takes to get there. Nothing comes easy.”
Yabusele also revisited last summer, when he became a free agent after leaving Philadelphia. According to him, Denver was one of the first teams to show interest.
“I got a call from my agent telling me first that we had an offer from Denver and that it could be cool. It was a two-year deal, so I started thinking about that option. Right after that, my agent calls me and says, ‘I just got off the phone with New York, and New York is also interested in pretty much the same deal.’”
Yabusele ultimately chose the Knicks, pointing to the team’s culture and identity as major reasons behind the decision. However, his time with the Knicks proved difficult. Yabusele struggled to find a consistent role and admitted the situation brought him back to memories from his first NBA stint in Boston.
“It was tough, I wasn’t playing much, I wasn’t being used much, so naturally a lot of things start going through your head. It kind of put me back in the same shoes as ten years ago when I was already in Boston and I’d show up to games thinking, ‘I might not play tonight.’”
That changed after his trade to the Chicago Bulls, where Yabusele said he immediately felt trust from the organization, starting with head coach Billy Donovan.
“When I talked to him, he said, ‘I’m going to show you a couple of plays we’re running, but other than that, I trust you. You know how to play basketball, you are a great player, you have great basketball IQ, I know I don’t have to worry about that.’”
For Yabusele, the difference was immediate.
“The situation was different from New York, so when I got there I was full of confidence because I could feel that support,” he said. “The environment I was in was so healthy. My season had been really difficult, so I couldn’t hide it, mentally it was tough.”
Yabusele said that support helped him finish the season in a much better place.
“After that, I got right back to it, I tried to give the best of myself, I gave everything I had and tried to make as few mistakes as possible, to keep improving, build relationships with other players and most importantly finish the season on a good note.”
Once his duties with the French national team are over, Yabusele will turn his attention to another important summer after a season filled with challenges, lessons and change.
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