Sylvain Francisco suggested that if Guerschon Yabusele returns to Europe, it might not be with Panathinaikos or Hapoel. He also said he was surprised to see Yabusele not getting chances in New York after a strong season in Philadelphia.
New York Knicks forward Guerschon Yabusele has become a central figure in recent EuroLeague rumors, with reports linking him to Panathinaikos Athens and Hapoel Tel Aviv.
One of the EuroLeague's standout players of the 2025–26 season, Sylvain Francisco of Zalgiris Kaunas, shared his thoughts on his French national team teammate's situation.
"It's super hard. It's too bad because he was actually doing well with the Sixers, and you know, for him to go to New York, we all thought it would be a different rotation, and he'll play. But at the end of the day, he just gotta know where he wants to go."
"I always say when you go to the NBA, you stay one year or two or even like a couple months, always big teams gonna bring you back in EuroLeague. By the end of the day, you just have to choose what you want," Francisco explained to BasketNews.
Francisco Predicts Different EuroLeague Destination
Although Panathinaikos and Hapoel are reportedly pushing hard to land Yabusele, Francisco mentioned another potential destination if his friend returns to Europe.
"But if he comes here, for me, I know it's gonna be Madrid. But sometimes money talks," he laughed. "But we'll see. I don't know. I feel like he's gonna go back to Madrid if he returns to the EuroLeague, but I'm pretty sure he's open about that. So let's see."
A week ago, Yabusele also told BasketNews that Madrid would be his preferred destination if he were to consider a return to Europe.
"Madrid is going to be, to be honest, I'm going to tell you, one of the first teams that we're going to have the conversation first to try to see how it's going to be," Yabusele revealed. "I'm not closing my door on anything else, but you know, my house is in Madrid."
"I consider myself like somebody who lives there all the time and goes back in the summer. That would be special to be back there," the Knicks forward said.
Asked whether he would be surprised to see Yabusele back in the EuroLeague–especially after averaging 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.1 assists in 27 minutes per game with the Philadelphia 76ers last season–Francisco admitted he did not expect Yabusele to fall out of New York's rotation.
"Actually, this year I was surprised to see him not playing. But you know, if you can finish the year and think about something else, yes. But if he feels like he wants to play or go somewhere, why not? You know, he sacrificed himself in Philly with low money and to be in New York without playing, sometimes it's frustrating. Maybe he can gain more here in EuroLeague and be the star he was."
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Why Europe Remains an Option
Yabusele turned down several lucrative offers from European teams in 2024 to return to the NBA, signing a one-year, $2 million deal with the 76ers.
According to BasketNews sources, as recently as last week, Yabusele remained fully focused on continuing his NBA career and showed no serious intentions of pursuing a move to Europe at this stage.
However, Yabusele recently confirmed there is interest from Hapoel Tel Aviv and admitted he is keeping the door open to all options.
"I ain't closing no door on nothing," Yabusele told Stefan Bondy. "I don't know what's going to happen. I don't know what tomorrow's going to be. So right now I can tell you nothing has been discussed or signed or anything like that."
"I'm a Knicks player at the end of the day. ...> But there's been teams calling, so yeah, I feel like the report was just them saying they want me, and then everybody thought that I signed something already. No, nothing like that. But there are some teams out there that we heard are getting ready to sign me if I go back that way. We'll see what happens," Yabusele added.
Yabusele's Contract and Financial Considerations
The forward is still under contract with the New York Knicks after signing a two-year, $11.3 million deal last summer.
He is earning $5.5 million this season and holds a player option worth $5.8 million for the 2026–27 campaign.
Yabusele has previously spoken publicly about his desire to remain in the NBA for at least one more season, citing financial stability and long-term benefits, including eligibility for the NBA pension system.
Still, with EuroLeague salaries continuing to rise and both Panathinaikos and Hapoel Tel Aviv known as aggressive spenders, an unusual move from the NBA to Europe cannot be entirely ruled out–especially if a club makes a significant financial push.
Trade Deadline Could Shape Yabusele's Future
A key date to monitor is February 5, the NBA trade deadline.
Yabusele's short-term future could be shaped by a trade, a roster decision, or other developments tied to the deadline, making the coming days important for his NBA outlook.
This season, Yabusele is averaging 2.7 points and 2.3 rebounds in nine minutes per game, appearing in 41 NBA games.
In January, he played 13 games, posting 1.8 points and 2.1 rebounds in seven minutes per game.
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Donatas Urbonas
Donatas Urbonas is an award-winning Lithuanian basketball journalist, recognized as the best sports journalist in Lithuania in 2016 and the top basketball journalist in 2018. A Vilnius University journalism graduate, Urbonas has reported on major global sports events, including the Rio 2016 and Paris 2024 Olympics, FIBA World Cups, EuroBaskets, NBA Summer League, and NBA Draft.
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