France's Guerschon Yabusele chose a good time for his best dunk of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Yabusele put Team USA's LeBron James on a poster to bring France within five points of the defending champions during the second quarter of Saturday's gold medal game.
The Paris 2024 Olympics delivered a magical moment during the final, right at the end of the second quarter.
With just 2 minutes and 13 seconds left until halftime, France's power forward, Guerschon Yabusele, created a highlight for the ages by posterizing Team USA superstar LeBron James.
Driving through the lane past Devin Booker, Yabusele charged into the paint where LeBron was waiting, hoping to draw a charge. But the Real Madrid player had other plans -- he soared and delivered a powerful one-handed dunk right over LeBron.
"Yabusele, what the fuck did you just do?" wrote Chima Moneke.
Yabusele's Real Madrid teammates last season, Vincent Poirier and Walter Tavares, also chimed in, simply posting his name in awe.
LeBron James haters have a new favorite basketball player: Team France power forward Guerschon Yabusele.
The former Boston Celtics prospect dropped a massive one-handed dunk on James in the first half of Saturday’s final in the men’s basketball tournament at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Now a star with Spain’s Real Madrid, the 6-foot-8 Yabusele ignited the host country by going baseline late in the second quarter and throwing down a tomahawk dunk on the greying 39-year-old, James.
The dunk cut the favorite’s lead to 40-35 and sparked a massive celebration from his teammates. James, meanwhile, found himself in a wholly unfamiliar position as he was sent to the hardwood.
Of course, James would have the last laugh as he would be named tournament MVP after Team USA's 98-87 victory over France.
Yabusele's Dunk on LeBron Ignites Social Media
The dunk brought back memories of arguably the greatest in-game slam in history, which featured in a game between the same two opponents at the 2000 Olympics. On that occasion, it was USA great Vince Carter jumping over Frederic Weis in what was termed ‘The Dunk of Death’.
A Monumental Moment
Yabusele's slam on LeBron was a memorable moment. The dunk itself was spectacular, and it was made even more impressive by the fact that it came against one of the greatest players in NBA history. It was a dunk that will be talked about for years to come.
Yabusele's Impact on the Game
Yabusele finished with 20 points to cap a terrific tournament, where he emerged as France’s second-best player behind recently-crowned NBA Rookie of the Year Wembanyama.
While Team USA went on to win the gold medal, Yabusele's performance showed that he is a player to watch. He may not have been on the winning side, but his highlight-reel dunk and overall performance in the tournament brought him into the spotlight and put him on a larger platform for the world to see.
Yabusele's Road to the NBA
Yabusele was drafted by the Boston Celtics in 2016, but his time in the NBA was short-lived. However, he played for Nanjing Monkey Kings in China and then later with ASVEL in France, before moving to Real Madrid in 2021. With his performance in the Olympics, Yabusele's NBA aspirations could be reignited, and many believe that he has proven he deserves a second chance.
The Legacy of the Dunk
Steph Curry’s late three-point flurry to lead the US to a 98-87 win in the final will likely be the most lasting memory from the gold medal match, but Yabusele’s slam won’t soon be forgotten. Yabusele's poster dunk on LeBron James was a highlight-reel moment and will continue to be remembered in the basketball world.
The Olympics provided a grand stage for Yabusele to showcase his talents. While the gold medal may not be his, Yabusele proved his worth with a stellar performance, leaving his mark on the 2024 Paris Olympics.
