Knicks New Forward Shines as France Downs Belgium

One of the New York Knicks' primary newcomers led France to victory in its EuroBasket 2025 opener.

Aug 10, 2024; Paris, France; France power forward Guerschon Yabusele (7) dunks against United States guard Devin Booker (15) and centre Joel Embiid (11) in the first quarter in the men's basketball gold medal game during the Paris 2024 Olympic Summer Games at Accor Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-Imagn Images | Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

For France's men's national basketball team, sharing was caring in the maiden competitive voyage headlined by captain and newly-minted New York Knicks Guerschon Yabusele.

Yabusele was one of five members of Les Bleus to reach double-figures in scoring in its opening game of EuroBasket 2025 group play on Thursday. The future New Yorker had 11 tallies as France took a 92-64 decision over Belgium, giving them the early advantage in Group D action staged in Poland.

While Yabusele was 1-of-7 from the field, he showcased his healthy physicality in the early triumph by sinking all but one of 10 tries from the foul line. No other competitor in Thursday's game had more than four. The Knicks tried just over 21 freebies a game last season, good for 19th in the Association.

Yabusele was also charged with but one foul while also pulling in three rebounds with a pair of assists and steals each. His first points, a drive under the basket to make it 4-2 gave France an early, lasting lead as it held Belgium to under 36 percent from the field. It continues the sterling momentum France put up in its exhibition lead-ins, which saw Les Bleus go 5-0 under Yabusele's partial watch.

Thus tips off France's EuroBasket endeavors on a high note after it earned a silver medal in last year's Olympics Games on home hardwood in Paris. Les Bleus have one prior EuroBasket win from the 2013 edition and placed second to Spain in the most recent edition in 2022.

Elie Okobo and Washington Wizards standout Bilal Coulibaly led Les Bleus with a dozen points each, the latter flirting with a double-double with a team-best seven rebounds. Recent top draft Zaccharie Risacher of the Atlanta Hawks was also in the double-figure brotherhood with 10. France was one of the early winners of Group D play alongside Israel, which took down Iceland earlier in the day by an 83-71 margin.

Thursday's opening day of action is closed out by host Poland taking on Slovenia, which faces France in its next game on Saturday (11 a.m. ET, DAZN/Courtside 1891).

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