Guerschon Yabusele’s overseas deal reminds 76ers just how lucky they are

It can’t be stated enough just how fortunate the Philadelphia 76ers are to have LeBron James on the deal that he signed.

Each time a standout veteran signs with a team, the Sixers get nudged with a reminder that they are simply the chosen ones to land arguably the biggest discount in the history of the game.

But going beyond the NBA, a look at the deals for some players who took their talents overseas is another sign that the Sixers are extremely lucky.

Remember the names

As Eurohoops pointed out, there are six EuroLeague players who are slated to earn a higher salary than LeBron James in 2026-2027. Two of them have connections to the Sixers.

Vasilije Micic is a distant memory for Sixers fans. The 32-year-old point guard was drafted by the team, but never actually played for them. He had a pro run with Mega Vizura from 2010 to 2014. During the 2014 NBA Draft, the Sixers selected Vasilije Micic with the No. 52 pick.

The Sixers stashed Micic. His draft rights were included in the 76ers’ draft-night trade with the Oklahoma City Thunder in 2020. The deal that included Al Horford and Danny Green moved Micic to OKC, where he hoped to carve out a legitimate NBA career.

Micic played just over 100 games in the NBA over two seasons. He played for the Thunder, Charlotte Hornets, and the Phoenix Suns. Since 2025, he’s been running with Hapoel Tel Aviv and is pulling in a reported $5.6 million for the upcoming season.

The other name with Sixers ties is more familiar. Guerschon Yabusele had a recent run with the 76ers that actually looked like it could help his NBA resurgence. After spending years away from the league, following his release from the Boston Celtics, Yabusele thrived in a 70-game run with the Sixers.

Last year, Yabusele signed with the New York Knicks for what turned out to be a 41-game run. He was moved to the Chicago Bulls at the trade deadline. Although Yabusele left his options open for another NBA run, he’ll head to Greece to play for Panathinaikos. The ex-Sixer will make $5 million for the year. The rest of the list includes Kendrick Nunn, Nigel Hayes-Davis, Sasha Vezenkov, and Sylvain Francisco.

The 76ers currently have LeBron James under a two-year deal, with the second season being a player option. Even if he picks up a $4.0 million deal after making $3.8 million, his salary is still lower by comparison.