Jayson Tatum, Steph Curry and Bam Adebayo discuss their Team USA Basketball teammate LeBron James ahead of the knockout stage of the Olympic basketball tournament.
Jayson Tatum, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White are the main attraction for Boston Celtics fans at the 2024 Paris Olympics as the C's trio helps Team USA in its quest for gold.
But there are plenty of former Celtics in the men's basketball tournament as well -- two of which took center stage in a thrilling upset Tuesday.
Evan Fournier and Guerschon Yabusele both delivered clutch performances for Team France on Tuesday as the hosts secured an 82-73 win over Team Canada, which went 3-0 in group play and was considered a favorite to challenge the Americans for gold.
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Here's a look at how Fournier and Yabusele made their mark against Canada:
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Evan Fournier
Final stat line: 15 points (4-for-8 shooting, 3-for-6 3PT), one rebound, three assists, one block
The veteran guard only played 16 games for the Celtics during the 2020-21 season after coming to Boston in a mid-season trade with the Orlando Magic, and he's probably better known locally for the big shots he hit against the C's.
Well, Fournier delivered in the clutch again for Team France on Tuesday by hitting two massive 3-pointers -- including a ridiculous heave to beat the shot clock that put the French up 10 with 55 seconds remaining.
Fournier has scored 10-plus points in three straight games for France and is averaging 11.5 points per game in this tournament, third on the team behind only Victor Wembanyama -- and Yabusele.
Guerschon Yabusele
Final stat line: 22 points (6-for-9 shooting, 2-for-4 3PT, five rebounds, one assist
Yes, you read that right. The Celtics' first-round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, whom Boston waived in July 2019 after he failed to crack the rotation, is the second-leading scorer on a France squad that features Wembanyama, Rudy Gobert, Fournier and Nicolas Batum.
Yabusele was all over the court Tuesday, making 4 of 5 2-pointers and drilling a pair of 3-pointers to finish with a team-high 22 points. He has 35 points in his last two games and has been active on the boards, as well, playing a massive role in France's success to date.
Yabusele has carved out a successful overseas career since leaving the Celtics in 2019. The 28-year-old has won two Liga ACB championships with Real Madrid over three seasons with the Spanish club, which also won the coveted EuroLeague championship in 2023.
Fournier, Yabusele and Team France now advance to the semifinals, where more former Celtics await on a Team Germany roster that includes Dennis Schroder and Daniel Theis.
