Gershon Yabusele gave an interview to the EuroLeague's official website, where he discussed the reasons that led him to sign with Panathinaikos, and one of them—as he emphasized—is the presence of Zeljko Obradovic on the bench.
The French center highlighted the presence of his compatriots on the “clover,” while also discussing the atmosphere during the 2023 playoffs, as well as Panathinaikos’ fans, whom he had singled out during the 2024 EuroLeague Final while playing for Real Madrid.
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Here’s what Gerson Jabousele said on the EuroLeague website:
On his decision to join Panathinaikos and whether he had many offers: “Many offers? No, that’s not true. Why not? It’s a great city, a great club with amazing fans. I played in the EuroLeague a few years ago. It’s a team that achieves great things and gets better every year. The caliber of my teammates on this team is incredible. I believe this is one of the best rosters in the EuroLeague. And I get to play here alongside my friends, my brothers, my own people. So, for me, it was a pretty easy decision.
When I say I’m playing here with my brothers, I’m talking about him (Lesor), I’m talking about Sylvain, I’m talking about Mous. Of course, now I get to play with Isaac and Bandio. Sloukas is one of the best point guards here… Kendrick Nunn, Nigel, and Dinos. I knew all these players from before, so being able to be with them and play alongside them is wonderful.”
On whether Obradović’s presence played a role: “And of course we have one of the best coaches in the EuroLeague, if not the best. So, for me, I wouldn’t say it was an easy decision, but it was definitely a very important factor in why I signed here.”
On the situation during the 2023 playoffs: “Of course, I wasn’t proud of that incident, the situation, or everything that happened. I think for basketball fans and everyone who was watching, it certainly wasn’t a good look. But that’s in the past. I accept that I make mistakes, I learn from them, and I move on.”
To the fans: “Of course, I don’t want to say it out loud, but this is definitely one of the best teams I’ve ever been a part of, and naturally all the pressure will be on us, because everyone will be watching us and asking: ‘What are you going to do this year?’ I never want to get ahead of myself. We’ll compete, we’ll try to be the best team we can be, win games, win trophies, play together, and fight for the jersey we wear.
When you play against them (the fans), you can feel it. Then you start thinking, “What will it be like when I’m playing for them?” It’ll be amazing. If you remember the 2024 Final Four, we were ahead at halftime and the fans kept pushing them on. And suddenly they found another level of energy and won the game. It’s very important to have fans like that supporting you through the ups and downs. I believe they’ll be a very important part of our season.”
*photo source: Panathinaikos BC
