Guerschon Yabusele wants to dance with the stars and have impact with Celtics


Our resident French Dancing Bear, the very-likable Guerschon Yabusele, wants to dance with the stars have an impact role with the Celtics. This 22-year-old rookie is a physical specimen. Some have compared him to former-Celtic, Jared Sullinger, but Yabu's body fat is around 6% while Jared's was almost double that at close to 12%. Guersch is 6'8" with 260 pounds of almost pure muscle. Opponents simply don't want to get in his way.



I must admit that I was skeptical of Yabu's abilities early on, but I am becoming a believer in what he can do with a bit more work. This is how Coach Brad Stevens views Guersch (per NBA's Taylor Snow):

"He's got to be a guy that can be a playmaker รก la Al (Horford) for us, where he gets the ball at the top of the key and he can be a passer, he can shoot it, or he can drive it," Stevens had said back on Oct. 6 prior to a preseason matchup in Philadelphia. "I think his greatest strength is seeing the floor and passing the ball. And sometimes at this age and stage, when you're first starting in an NBA season for the first time, the game is moving so fast that you miss some of those opportunities, and as he continues to get more opportunities and practice more, then I think that'll just show itself."


Draymond Green also has the nickname, The Dancing Bear, and his rookie season was certainly far from noteworthy. Notching only 2.9 points, 2.6 rebounds and 0.7 assists in his first season, Dray is averaging 11.2 PPG, 7.9 RPG and 7.4 APG this season.

Yabu is signed with the Celtics for four seasons, with the final two years being club options. He earns 2.2 million this season and 2.6 million next year, bargains if he keeps advancing his game. A significant impact this year and a French version of Draymond Green down the road? My skepticism has lessened and the laughter resulting from the Yabu/Dray comparisons has subsided. Could be time for Guersch to spend more time with the Celtics and dance with the teams' stars.

Follow Tom at @TomLaneHC

Photo via Charles Krupa/AP Photo




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