Guerschon Yabusele’s recent comments on the ability of some EuroLeague teams being able to compete with NBA squads have sparked debate in basketball circles. Ex-NBA players like Kendrick Nunn and Jabari Parker are littered throughout EuroLeague rosters, and Yabusele has experience with both leagues. Now a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, he spoke about the differences between the NBA and the EuroLeague.
Sixers Forward Claims EuroLeague Teams Could Compete In NBA
Sixers New Forward
Yabusele has emerged as a bright spot for the Philadelphia 76ers amid a tough start. With Paul George and Joel Embiid still injured and rehabbing, he will be a key piece in Philly. Despite a 124-109 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks in his debut, Yabusele contributed 10 points, four rebounds, and three assists, providing a spark off the bench. His performance has been shaped by three years of playing for the European powerhouse Real Madrid. After the game, he commented on the NBA vs. EuroLeague debate.
“I always say that some of the best EuroLeague teams can compete with some NBA teams, for sure” Yabusele noted. “But I am not saying the best teams [in the NBA].”
NBA Players in the EuroLeague
A major reason Yabusele believes top EuroLeague clubs can hold their own in the NBA is that many of their stars, like him, have played in the NBA and brought those skills back to Europe. Sasha Vezenkov, for example, briefly played in the NBA and has since become one of the EuroLeague’s top players.
Had the opportunity to talk with Guerschon Yabusele about his Euroleague experience, the return to the NBA and which one of his teammates in French National team can make it in the NBA.
"I gained a lot of experience."
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— Christos Tsaltas (@Tsaltas46) October 25, 2024
Nikola Mirotic is another elite EuroLeague player who once thrived in the NBA. His fellow EuroLeague peer, Wade Baldwin IV, also brings NBA pedigree. Baldwin, now a star guard for Maccabi Tel Aviv, plays in the Israeli Basketball Premier League along with famous NBA personality Patrick Beverley. Another notable NBA veteran in the EuroLeague is former No. 2 overall pick Jabari Parker.
Countless young NBA stars got their start in the EuroLeague before coming to the NBA. Luka Doncic famously won the EuroLeague title and MVP as a teenager before joining the NBA. Last year’s NBA Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembanyama, and 2024 no. 1 overall pick, Zaccharie Risacher, both played in the EuroLeague before getting drafted.
NBA vs EuroLeague
Luka Doncic says he watches more Euroleague than NBA 👀👀👀 pic.twitter.com/DtV7Bu32YF
— HoopsHype (@hoopshype) January 8, 2023
Yabusele has also highlighted Real Madrid’s recent preseason victory over the Dallas Mavericks. This was a perfect example that EuroLeague players can indeed go toe-to-toe with NBA competition, especially when they bring deep NBA experience and EuroLeague-developed discipline.
Calls for a showdown between EuroLeague and NBA champions have grown louder as European players demonstrate NBA-level skill. With international stars like Yabusele advocating for the idea, inter-league competition could finally show how Europe’s best stack up against the NBA.
Yabusele’s insights highlight that the gap between the NBA and the EuroLeague is shrinking. His experience playing in Europe has prepared him well for the NBA, and he sees EuroLeague teams as formidable opponents. With top players like Vezenkov, Mirotic, and Parker proving their abilities to play both in the NBA and EuroLeague, Yabusele’s confidence in European basketball’s competitiveness is well-founded.
