During a recent interview, former NBA player Guerschon Yabusele made a bold claim about Panathinaikos in the Greek Basketball League and EuroLeague.
Yabusele, selected No. 16 overall in the 2026 NBA Draft, played for the Boston Celtics and in the NBA G League before eventually heading overseas to continue his basketball career. After enjoying stints in China as well as France and Spain, the big man was a breakout star during the 2024 Olympics.
He signed to play the 2024-25 campaign with the Philadelphia 76ers, then played with the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls in 2025-26. This summer, he signed with Panathinaikos B.C. in Athens. The 40-time Greek League champions, who have also won the EuroLeague seven times including most recently in 2024,
is considered one of the stronger international clubs.
Guerschon Yabusele:
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) November 13, 2026
“I’ve even seen comparisons drawn between our starting five and those of NBA teams.
And honestly, I believe that if everything comes together, we could beat quite a few teams from the United States”https://t.co/9axEJvNLAq
According to Yabusele, however, the team is so strong that he recently said he feels they could beat "quite a few" teams in the NBA.
Among those on the roster with Yabusele include other former NBA players including Kendrick Nunn, Isaac Bonga, Juancho Hernangomez, and Nigel Hayes-Davis. International stars like Sylvain Francisco and Mathias Lessort play crucial roles for the team as well.
Panathinaikos currently sits atop the EuroLeague standings with an 8-2 record so far this season. While they may seem like a bunch of NBA outcasts, there is also an undeniable synergy that comes with this level of success.
Sure, we know what Yabusele looked like in a smaller role playing in the United States. But with a higher usage rate overseas, he is a much different player who can make a far bigger impact.
As of right now, questions like these are purely hypothetical. But one day, as NBA commissioner Adam Silver pushes harder for the launch of NBA Europe, we may actually get a more serious answer to these type of questions.
What could NBA ultimately do in the future with the leagues it is building in Europe and Africa?
— Mike Vorkunov (@MikeVorkunov) September 26, 2025
Adam Silver: "You could imagine teams in Europe, potentially Africa, competing in [NBA Cup]. You possibly could see teams coming into our playoffs, top seeds from other leagues." pic.twitter.com/yg2g5vPqZ7
Eventually, one proposed goal of NBA Europe is to integrate international teams into the in-season tournament NBA Cup (via CBS Sports):
"We have something we call the NBA Cup, a midseason tournament ... You could imagine teams from Europe, potentially Africa, competing in that tournament. You possibly could see teams coming into our playoffs, top seeds from other leagues."
That isn't exactly on the immediate horizon for Yabusele to prove his point on this current roster, of course.
But in the future, it would be fascinating to see how a team of veterans like Panathinaikos would fare against a rebuilding squad like the Milwaukee Bucks.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Guerschon Yabusele claimed his Greek team could beat 'quite a few' in NBA
