Guerschon Yabusele had a fantastic return campaign to the NBA back in the 2024-25 season with the Philadelphia 76ers. With that and his run with France at the 2024 Paris Olympics, he regained his standing as a good role player.
This led to the New York Knicks signing him to a two-year contract in the 2025 offseason. It was a good signing back then, but it appears that the Knicks are not getting the most out of the French forward.
Brown knows what Yabusele must do to break into the Knicks rotation
After averaging 11 points and 5.6 rebounds for the 76ers, many thought Yabusele would be a great role player for any team. Considering the Knicks signed him, it was a good opportunity for him.
The Knicks are known to get the most out of hard-working players. Of course, that was under head coach Tom Thibodeau, who was removed in favor of Mike Brown in the 2025 offseason.
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This led to a change in the Knicks’ play style. While players like Yabusele can still thrive in the system, Brown prefers a more energetic style of play. Considering Yabusele is not the most physically gifted, he needs to work extra hard.
“He’s gonna play whatever minutes we give him. Everybody just has to keep playing hard on both ends of the floor. Taking quality shots, trying to rebound, play the way that we play,” Brown said after their game on Wednesday.
“Whether he gets 2 minutes, 0, 15 minutes, he just gotta keep staying in the game and staying ready while cheering his teammates on like everyone else.”
It can seem harsh to some people, but Yabusele does not fit Brown’s overall vision. He can contribute when he is given the minutes, but Brown feels like he found the right mix with his rotation.
This has led to constant rumors swirling about Yabusele. Other teams could get the most out of his skill set, but the Knicks can still be the right spot for him if he can impress Brown with his play and performances in practice.
