Spurs Trade Rumors: Victor Wembanyama’s France teammate on San Antonio’s radar

The San Antonio Spurs appear ready to take a major step forward next season, with Victor Wembanyama back to full health, De’Aaron Fox fully integrated and No. 2 pick Dylan Harper joining the fold. With several assets, the Spurs are still in position to make a big move — or attract key free agents thanks to their exciting young core.

In his latest free agency report for HoopsHype, Michael Scotto listed the Spurs as one of the teams showing interest in French forward Guerschon Yabusele, an unrestricted free agent, who returned to the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers in 2024-25 and made an immediate impact.

Wembanyama and Yabusele were teammates on the French national squad that took home the silver medal at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“After proving himself as a consistent NBA player, Yabusele is set to cash in this summer as an unrestricted free agent,” Scotto wrote.

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“The San Antonio Spurs are among several teams expected to have interest in Yabusele during free agency, league sources told HoopsHype.”

On a minimum contract last season, Yabusele posted career-best numbers: 11.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.1 assists in 27.1 minutes per game, while shooting an efficient 50.1% and 38.0% from deep.

However, the Spurs won’t be alone in pursuing him, as several teams, including the 76ers, are reportedly eyeing the skilled forward.

Yabusele began his NBA career with the Boston Celtics, later heading overseas and carving out a strong reputation, particularly during the Olympics with Team France, where he not only helped secure a silver medal but also gained global attention by posterizing LeBron James in the gold medal game.

Victor Wembanyama bulks up, expected to return fully healthy next season

Even with a slender build, Victor Wembanyama emerged as a dominant defender early in his career. He was leading the race for Defensive Player of the Year in his sophomore season until a post-All-Star break setback — a blood clot in his shoulder (deep vein thrombosis) — sidelined him.

In a recent appearance on Kevin Hart’s “Cold as Balls” show, Wembanyama shared that he entered the NBA weighing between 215-220 lbs, but now tips the scale at 245 lbs.

Hart observed that Wemby looked “solid” and asked the Spurs big man about how he balances muscle gain with mobility.

"I'm in strength training of course, but the main thing for me is I could in theory, put on a lot of weight, but I would lose some of my mobility, some of my athleticism," Wembanyama replied.

This offseason, his second in the NBA, Wembanyama has drawn attention not just for his on-court promise, but also for his unique off-court pursuits, including a trip to Shaolin temples where he trained.

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John Ezekiel Hirro

John Ezekiel Hirro is an experienced NBA and WNBA journalist at Sportskeeda, with over five years in the field as a news correspondent, sports writer, and Editor-in-Chief. His sports writing career began in high school, where he garnered numerous accolades, including being named the national sports writing champion in 2016.

He earned his journalism degree from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines in 2024 and served as the Editor-in-Chief of The Varsitarian, the university's official student publication, for four years—the longest in history.

A passionate basketball enthusiast, he became a fan of the OKC Thunder during the Russ-KD-Harden era. Russell Westbrook, his all-time favorite athlete, impressed him by stepping up as MVP after Kevin Durant's departure. His current favorite players include Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren, who he believes are the future of the OKC franchise.

He excels in game analysis and rapid news story turnaround, drawing inspiration from the journalistic styles of Woj and Shams. He emphasizes thorough research to ensure accuracy in his articles. One of his most memorable moments is Russell Westbrook breaking Oscar Robertson's record with his 42nd triple-double and securing a 106-105 victory over the Denver Nuggets with a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Outside of writing, he enjoys listening to music and creating Spotify playlists.

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