Embarrassing LeBron James Olympic moment gets wild NBA 2K version

LeBron James and Team USA may have won Olympic gold at the Paris games, but the French still gave the Los Angeles Lakers star a highlight to remember. In the second quarter of the gold medal game, French power forward Guerschon Yabusele dunked on known Madden fan James to bring his team to within five points of the Americans. This was a dunk heard around the world, and a few weeks after the Olympics, this LeBron James lowlight even made it to the NBA 2K video game.

As seen in this video, a 2K player modded the dunk into the game and brought the highlight poster to life, almost exactly as it happened on real life.

Guerschon Yabusele returns to the NBA

© Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Looking back, it’s interesting to note that this 2K-worthy dunk on LeBron James and his overall performance in the gold medal game might have earned Yabusele another shot in the NBA. The former 16th overall pick in the 2016 Draft didn’t quite pan out with the Boston Celtics, where he averaged only 2.3 points and 1.4 rebounds in 74 games. After splitting time with the Celtics’ G League affiliate, he finally went overseas in 2019.

The French star signed with Real Madrid in 2021, and he won a Euroleague championship in 2023. After his showing at the Olympics, the Philadelphia 76ers signed Guerschon Yabusele to a one-year contract worth $2.1 million. In Team France’s silver medal effort, the 28-year-old Olympics standout averaged 14 points and played well with San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama.

Someone recreated Guerschon Yabusele’s dunk on LeBron James in the Olympics on NBA 2K 🤣

(via nba2k_thecobra26/ IG)pic.twitter.com/TOL5dncGSs

— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) August 22, 2024

Moreover, it’s not hard to think that the 76ers signed him to fill a roster need on the margins. Signing Paul George in free agency is a significant investment, along with the max contracts for Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. Investing into three max-level players limits the team from surrounding them with actually valuable players, as the Lakers showed during the Russell Westbrook debacle.

Still, Yabusele’s international experience, and his ability to score and mesh well with star players might give the team championship-level value on a bargain. Like with Team France, he simply needs to fulfill specific roles on both sides of the ball to help them win.

LeBron James and the Lakers

Meanwhile, fans wonder what the Lakers superstar could be thinking heading into training camp. After all, LeBron James signed only a two-year, $97.1 million deal to allow Rob Pelinka to sign players who can fill their defensive needs at center and guard positions. However, the Lakers’ only moves were drafting Bronny James and Dalton Knecht, and hiring JJ Redick as head coach.

As the rest of the cutthroat Western conference upgrade their rosters, the Lakers might lose out on the pieces they need to contend for a title. Still, the same roster were an 0-4 sweep away from reaching the Finals two seasons ago. Does a 40-year-old LeBron James still have enough in the tank to lead another less-than-ideal roster to the promised land?