One of the NBA’s best stories, which went under the radar, was the resurgence of Guerschon Yabusele. The French forward signed with the Philadelphia 76ers for the 2024-25 season following a stellar showing in the Olympics. He made a name for himself in the EuroLeague and transferred that success to the NBA. From his experience in both, he notes the key differences between the two leagues.
Advertisement
The past NBA season wasn’t Yabusele’s first experience in the league. Yabusele was the 16th pick of the 2016 NBA Draft by the Boston Celtics. He ended up making his way to America for the 2017-18 season. Sadly, he wasn’t what the Celtics hoped for. As a result, he was out of the NBA in just two seasons.
It took five years before Yabusele returned to the NBA. During his time away from the league, his most notable stint came with Real Madrid of the EuroLeague. He was a key member of that team for three seasons, where he experienced his first taste of high-level EuroLeague basketball.
It’s safe to say Yabusele won’t have to play overseas any longer. After a strong showing with the Sixers, he signed a two-year deal worth $11.7 million with the New York Knicks this offseason. He didn’t waste any time building team chemistry by joining his Knicks teammates, Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart’s The Roommates Show.
During the conversation, Yabusele revealed what he noticed separates the NBA and the EuroLeague.
“The NBA is much faster,” Yabusele declared. “It’s more like one possession sometimes. When you come to Europe, it’s more like, taking the ball, set a play up, play defense and then go offense. You take your time. It’s like a different type of basketball.”
In other words, a lot of the NBA’s emphasis is on instinctive basketball. On the other hand, the EuroLeague still follows a format which the NBA used to do, especially in the 1980s and 90s.
Both have their pros and cons. The focus of playing through a system explains why European players enter the NBA miles ahead of American players when it comes to skill. The argument that benefits American players is that they enter the league with an overwhelming amount of athleticism.
Although Yabusele is from France, his bias doesn’t cloud his judgment when it comes to the two leagues.
“I think the NBA is the best for sure. There’s no question about it,” Yabusele said. He does believe basketball in Europe is heading in the right direction. “EuroLeague gets better every year, which is good.”
It’s amazing how both leagues play the same sport, but specialize in specific aspects. Yabusele is the perfect spokesperson, considering his experience in both leagues. As he succinctly summed it up, “It’s two different games.”
