KATOWICE (Poland) - Everybody was expecting Guerschon Yabusele to make a statement at FIBA EuroBasket 2025. Appointed as the team's captain, he had to lead a young French group full of fresh faces.
In France's first three Group D games, against Belgium, Slovenia and Israel, the 29-year-old forward showed only glimpses of the on-court leadership he was asked to provide for the EuroBasket 2022 runner-ups.
But on Tuesday night, against group hosts Poland, Yabusele put up a performance for the ages to help France bounce back from the defeat at the hands of Israel 48 hours earlier.
He scored 36 points to register both his career-high with the national team and the third-highest scoring game ever by a French player at EuroBasket, tied with legends Herve Dubuisson and Tony Parker.
"We had a conversation to try to get me involved a little bit more. I know it's important for me to be aggressive the whole time for the team and myself," Yabusele said after his career night.
"I tried to find the rhythm and give energy to the guys, to make sure we all went in the same way. Tonight it went my way, but this victory is for everybody. Everybody brought something tonight, even on defense, and that's a team victory. That's the one we needed."
He has always been a vocal leader, as he had demonstrated at last year's Olympic Games on a team replete with stars. But now he's the captain, and his teammates need him to lead by example.
"It's funny because I told him, "Go get points. Sometimes even in a selfish way, but we need you to be aggressive, and the floor is gonna be open for you," Isaia Cordinier shared after the victory over Poland.
He's very vocal, and he shows it by example. I feel that's the way, we as the new veterans have to help and give the link between each other. Nothing can break our chemistry.
"The coaching staff and we as players did a good job of finding a good rhythm as well, finding better solutions. Then, he did the job. He had a hell of a game. He's our leader, our captain. We need to follow him," Cordinier added.
Elie Okobo believes there were no adjustments needed to help the soon-to-be New York Knick post this statlne.
"At the end of the day, he scored 36, but not with selfish plays. He was open, he took open shots, he was aggressive, and defensively, he was great as well," the French guard shared.
"We need him to play at this level, to be able to compete. I'm happy he got this really good game at EuroBasket."
The Bear, as Yabusele is affectionately called, had to growl like never before to silence the 9,262 passionate fans in the stands of Spodek Arena.
Everybody heard him. Guerschon Yabusele will continue to lead the Nouvelle Vague of French basketball.
HIGHEST SCORING GAMES BY A FRENCH PLAYER IN EUROBASKET
RANK | DATE | PLAYER | POINTS | OPPONENTS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
1. | 07/06/1985 | Herve Dubuisson | 39 | Poland |
2. | 30/06/1995 | Yann Bonato | 38 | Yugoslavia |
3. | 02/09/2025 | Guerschon Yabusele | 36 | Poland |
= | 09/06/1987 | Herve Dubuisson | 36 | Israel |
= | 04/09/2007 | Tony Parker | 36 | Italy |
6. | 20/06/1989 | Richard Dacoury | 32 | Bulgaria |
= | 02/09/2011 | Tony Parker | 32 | Germany |
= | 20/09/2013 | Tony Parker | 32 | Spain |
FIBA