Guerschon Yabusele signed for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2024 off-season from Real Madrid.

Charisma. Determination. Energy. Talent. Four fundamentals any sports-person needs if they are to be successful in their career. The ‘dancing bear’ has them all.

Yabusele is a conqueror of the road of adversity and has finally made it back to the pearl streets of the NBA after a turbulent start to his time in the USA.

As a rookie, Guerschon was picked by the Boston Celtics with the 16th overall pick in the 2014 Draft.

However, after just two years with the legendary franchise, his time in the league abruptly came to an end and his dreams were shattered as he was banished to the Chinese basketball league – signing for Nanjing Monkey Kings.

After a year in China, the former Boston man took his talents back to his native home of France in the LNB Pro A league for ASVEL.

Much like football, when Real Madrid come knocking at your door, there is usually one outcome. Guerschon Yabusele decided this was the next step in his journeyman career.

What a fruitful decision this proved to be for the Frenchman – winning two Spanish league titles, three Spanish Supercups and one EuroLeague title.

Despite all of Yabusele’s success in the Spanish capital, it would be the 2024 Paris Olympic games where he showed the basketball world his true ability.

Victor Wembanyama who would receive all the plaudits for carrying France to the final against LeBron James and his avengers – where they would eventually lose the game – but it was the Real Madrid man who would provide the fans with a cinematic experience that they would never forget.

He put up 20 points in 31 minutes on the court, although it was an earth-shattering dunk on the greatest basketball player of all-time, LeBron James, that would send the world of social media into a frenzy.

It was that slam-dunk that cemented Guerschon Yabusele’s name onto several NBA franchise’s shopping list – but it would be Daryl Morey and his Philadelphia 76ers that would snatch his signature.

Signed primarily as a role player, the Olympic Silver medallist has swiftly embedded himself in the hearts of Philadelphia fans with his backbreaking efforts in the absence of Joel Embiid – slotting in at the centre position, despite being a natural power forward.

In 26 minutes on the court per game, Yabusele is averaging 10.4 points per game, 5.5 rebounds per game and is shooting an impressive 50.5% from the floor in a struggling Sixers side.

Yet, it is his most recent antics against the high-flying Cleveland Cavaliers that now has fans pleading with the Philadelphia front office to do whatever it takes to sign Guerschon to a longer deal – he scored 22 points and sank an efficient four out of five attempts from three-point range.

With several players out of contract at the end of the year, it has to be Philadelphia’s priority to put a wage structure in place that will allow the franchise to hurl money into the direction of the French star.

Nevertheless, vultures will be circling around Yabusele, as his performances on both sides of the ball have surpassed any expectations that even the most optimistic of fans.

The pressure is already mounting on Daryl Morey after the abysmal year the 76ers are having. If Guerschon Yabusele walks out the door into the open arms of a rival – it could be the final nail in his coffin.