Official: Yabusele Joins Obradović at Panathinaikos!

Yabusele's arrival marks the second major signing since Željko Obradović's return to Athens. Panathinaikos had previously confirmed the acquisition of Moustapha Fall, formerly Olympiacos's center. Additionally, Isaac Bonga has already departed Partizan and arrived in Athens (even sporting PAO gear), with his official announcement expected soon. The same goes for Brancou Badio from Valencia. Indeed, Obradović is assembling a formidable squad for the upcoming season, and it appears his center rotation will feature three Frenchmen: Lessort, Yabusele (who can play both power forward and center), and Fall.

According to reports from reputable European media outlets, Yabusele has secured an astronomical 15,000,000 euro contract with Panathinaikos over three years. He joins directly from the NBA, having reportedly turned down a 5,800,000 dollar per season offer from the Chicago Bulls. While the Bulls' offer was nominally higher, US taxes would have significantly reduced that sum, meaning he stands to earn more in Greece.

The Athenian management successfully convinced the 30-year-old power forward to leave the NBA after two seasons where he played for Philadelphia, New York, and Chicago. In his second stint in the world's strongest league, he averaged 8.3 points per game.

According to Michael Scotto of "Hoopshype," who first broke the news, this contract will make Yabusele one of the highest-paid athletes on the Old Continent, alongside Vasilije Micić, Kendrick Nunn, and Sasha Vezenkov.

It's worth remembering that Yabusele left Real Madrid two years ago to begin his second NBA tenure. He initially played quite successfully for Philadelphia before moving to the New York Knicks, where his minutes and role diminished. Last winter, he transferred to Chicago, returning to the numbers he posted in Philadelphia – 10.0 points and 5.7 rebounds per game.

Interestingly, Željko Obradović will now be working with a player who, three years ago, significantly impacted Partizan's chances of reaching the EuroLeague Final Four. At that time, Yabusele, then a Real Madrid player, initiated a brawl that led to numerous suspensions and swung the quarterfinal series in favor of the "Royal Club," who came back from a 2-0 deficit to eventually win the European title.

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