Guerschon Yabusele, whom the Celtics drafted 16th overall last month, has agreed to a one-year deal with the Shanghai Sharks of the Chinese Basketball Association, Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe reports. Boston still holds Yabusele’s NBA rights, as Himmelsbach points out.
There have been recent reports suggesting that Yabusele playing overseas was likely, so this news is not entirely surprising. What’s more, the French forward likely needs more seasoning before playing in the league. He is only 20 and he brings versatility and a lot of potential.
At 6’8″ and 240 pounds, Yabusele likely does not lack strength, but there’s been some concern that he’s too short. He has, however, worked to improve his jumper and possesses above-average length and athleticism. He averaged 8.2 points and 6 rebounds in eight summer league games for Boston this year, per Himmelsbach.
I like his potential for them, and it’s a good fit to put him in the up and down Chinese league. The one thing I somewhat see from him is that he could benefit from being in a more professional training environment. His body needs to be in slightly better condition. Some of that fat needs to be muscle