Before the incident, Guerschon Yabusele without filter on Joel Embiid: “I can’t wait to…

By Pierre-Andréa Fraile | Sports journalist

While the 76ers continue their lackluster start to the season, Guerschon Yabusele spoke about the Joel Embiid case in recent hours. This, before the Cameroonian pivot is guilty of acts from which his French teammate and his franchise could suffer.

On paper, they have one of the most extensive and competitive squads in the NBA. Logic would therefore dictate that they would outperform their rivals in the Eastern Conference. And yet, the 76ers currently only occupy 13th place. It must be said that this Saturday they suffered their fourth defeat in five games this season, soundly beaten at home by the Grizzlies (107-124).

Joel Embiid unpins, Guerschon Yabuse collateral victim?

The days follow one another and are similar for Philadelphia and for a Guerschon Yabusele the management of which is still debated. Used off the bench by Nick Nurse, the French interior most of the time occupies position 5, in which he is not necessarily the most comfortable. On the sidelines of the match against Memphis, he declared himself impatient to see Joel Embiid re-enter the rotation of his team:

Guerschon Yabusele : I think when Joel comes back, I’ll play position 4 more often. But it’s something that excites me. We have two of the best players in the world on our team (Embiid and Paul George, editor’s note) who are preparing to return to competition. So of course, I can’t wait for them to be there and to be on the floor with them. It’s going to be a new role for me but I’m looking forward to taking it on.

An enthusiasm that can be heard, knowing that Yabusele has distinguished himself above all as a strong winger in his career. Including at the Paris Olympic Games, where his performances caught the eye of the Sixers managers. However, unfortunately for him, this return to his favorite position could wait. The fault of Embiid’s temper towards a local journalist, relayed by Shams Charania:

Shams Charania : Joel Embiid got into an altercation with a reporter following this (Saturday) night’s game in Philadelphia. Embiid complained about a recent article about him that referenced his deceased brother and son, and Embiid shoved the reporter. No blows were thrown.

If this physical altercation did not turn into a fistfight, the 2023 MVP nevertheless addressed threats to his interlocutor that could cost him dearly. Kevin Cooney NBC Sports reports the content:

Joel Embiid : The next time you talk about my dead brother and my son, you’re going to see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to have to… face the consequences.

The league, which has already opened an investigation into this whole story, risks sanctioning the star pivot. Yabusele, for his part, will perhaps still have to wait before taking his first steps at his side.

Eager to settle permanently at position 4 with the 76ers and form a promising racket with Joel Embiid, Guerschon Yabusele will undoubtedly have to be patient. A future suspension of the pivot-star seems very likely.