New Orleans Pelicans: 3 prospects to watch in the Tokyo Olympics
By Vance Abreu
Guerschon Yabusele (France) could use the Tokyo Olympics to get a second chance in the NBA
Boston Celtics fans and die-hard NBA fans will remember the name. Dubbed the french Draymond Green, big things were expected of the mid-first round pick. After two seasons and only 74 games, Yabusele flamed out after struggling to adapt to the demands of the NBA.
After floundering in the NBA, Yabusele had a stint in China before joining ASVEL in France’s LNB Pro A. His short stay there has revitalised his career. Coming off a season where he averaged fourteen points and four rebounds in 22 minutes, Yabusele received interest from powerhouse Real Madrid, inking a one-year deal.
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The most significant improvement to his, like Landale, is his consistent shooting. Yabusele made a scorching 51% of his threes this year. The consistency and confidence in his shooting are back, and through the few exhibition games, Yabusele has played considerable minutes with NBA veterans Rudy Gobert, Nicolas Batum and Evan Fournier. Not looking out of place with them, Yabusele seemingly has captured the form that made him the sixteenth pick.
Although he will be nothing more than a backup forward, Yabusele’s rebounding and shooting will help. He has led the team in rebounding and features to be the second most important big after Gobert through the two exhibition games. For New Orleans, he can be mentored under James Johnson and mould his game into one similar to his.