This article is the third installment in a series exploring NBA scouts’ insights on the potential and development of the Washington Wizards’ key young players.
Part 1: Alex Sarr | Part 2: Bub Carrington
WASHINGTON — In the first three minutes of the new regular season, Bilal Coulibaly showcased a glimpse of the player the Washington Wizards envision him becoming.
As Jayson Tatum of the Boston Celtics dribbled on the right wing, Coulibaly closely guarded him. Tatum surged forward, attempting to penetrate the lane, but Coulibaly matched his pace and hindered his route to the basket. Tatum hesitated, nudged Coulibaly, and retreated for a jumper just beyond the foul line. Coulibaly also elevated, contesting the shot with his right hand raised high, but the ball ricocheted off the front of the rim.
Just forty seconds later, it was Coulibaly’s turn to attack. He dribbled around the perimeter, with Boston’s Jaylen Brown defending and obstructing his path to the basket. Coulibaly surged, absorbed Brown’s contact, and then accelerated to the rim, leaving Brown behind. He finished with a scoop layup off the glass.
Let’s review, shall we? First, Coulibaly prevented a drive by a first-team All-NBA player, compelling him to take an off-target midrange shot. Then, Coulibaly outmaneuvered one of the league’s top wing defenders to score. Impressive.
This performance aligns with the expectations of the Wizards’ front office and coaching staff for the 20-year-old wing/forward. They see him as a player capable of neutralizing the best perimeter scorers and, eventually, creating scoring opportunities for himself and his teammates.
“We’ve always pictured him as a guy who can make plays,” said Washington coach Brian Keefe. “There is a learning curve to this.”
The 2024-25 season will serve as a crucial learning phase for Coulibaly in playmaking. He will frequently handle the ball and have the freedom to develop his game in real-time. Mistakes are inevitable — and perfectly acceptable. The aim is growth rather than perfection, and with Washington in a complete rebuild, Keefe has both the opportunity and obligation to experiment.
Opposing scouts will be paying close attention since Coulibaly is one of the league’s most captivating development stories. Although the Wizards now possess numerous intriguing prospects, including rookie first-round picks Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George, none seems to have the same potential upside as Coulibaly. If things unfold favorably in the coming years, Coulibaly could evolve into the versatile two-way wing that contending teams desperately seek.
The Athletic spoke with four talent evaluators from around the league to gather their perceptions of Coulibaly, granting them anonymity due to team policies against discussing players from rival organizations.
All evaluators expressed intrigue over Coulibaly’s potential but recognized the challenges in projecting his future. Scout A referred to him as “a promising project.”
“At the peak of his development, I envision him as a 3-and-D player who can take on larger wings across the league and guard multiple positions,” Scout B stated. “His shooting development and capacity to finish through contact will dictate his offensive ceiling. He displayed substantial flashes (as a rookie). Obviously, given where the team stood (last season) and their objectives, it’s challenging for young players to be consistently effective. Nevertheless, the notion of a large wing who can guard various positions and create his own shot remains the ultimate hope for him.”
Coulibaly’s strengths
To grasp what renders Coulibaly so difficult to project, one must consider his basketball background. His late growth spurt and relative lack of experience add complexity to the assessment.
He did not begin competing in senior-level basketball until Victor Wembanyama’s team in the French league, Metropolitans 92, promoted him from their junior program during the 2022-23 season. As Sam Vecenie, The Athletic’s NBA Draft analyst, noted just before the 2023 NBA Draft, Coulibaly exemplifies a “classic late bloomer” possessing “completely ridiculous tools for an NBA wing.” His rapid ascent up NBA teams’ draft boards culminated in a trade with Indiana, enabling Washington to select him at No. 7.
Fast forward nearly 17 months, and Coulibaly’s physical features are even more noteworthy. He has grown taller and gained strength, now standing at 6-foot-7 1/2 without shoes and weighing 205 pounds. His wingspan is either 7-foot-2 or 7-foot-3, although Coulibaly himself is uncertain about the precise measurement.
The unique blend of size, speed, and agility positions Coulibaly as a potential elite defender. Last season, the Wizards frequently assigned him to guard the opposing teams’ top perimeter scorers, yielding intriguing results. Vincent Collet, who coached the French men’s national team during the Olympics, played Coulibaly for 21 minutes in the gold-medal match against the United States.
“He hadn’t played extensively before that gold-medal game,” remarked Cleveland Cavaliers coach Kenny Atkinson, who was one of France’s assistant coaches. “As a coaching staff, we agreed we needed him to face Team USA because of his defensive skills, athleticism, and length. The potential for him is limitless.”
As the current NBA season unfolds, Coulibaly has once again taken on a defensive role, guarding the premier perimeter scorers. In the season opener against Boston, he was tasked with matching up against Tatum. During the game against Cleveland on Saturday, he was responsible for tracking Donovan Mitchell. In Monday’s victory over Atlanta, he effectively defended Trae Young, helping to limit him to just 14 points on 2-of-15 shooting. Fittingly, Coulibaly guarded Young on a potential game-winning 3-pointer that Young missed just before the clock ran out, showcasing Coulibaly’s remarkable combination of length and body control.
“Defensively,” said Scout C, “he’s incredibly versatile. He possesses agility and demonstrates strong attributes on that end, playing hard consistently. I believe he has the potential to excel as a perimeter wing defender against top players and perform well on the ball.”
When Coulibaly was drafted, he was characterized by analysts as a raw offensive talent. While this evaluation was somewhat accurate, it fell short. Although he needed to refine his dribbling skills, he consistently made quick decisions and often moved the ball effectively to prevent the offense from stagnating.
His shooting mechanics, initially viewed as a shortcoming, appeared sound. In his first 23 games last season, he converted nearly 44 percent of his 3-point attempts, averaging 3.0 shots per game. However, his performance declined in the last 40 games, with his long-range shooting percentage slipping to 29 percent on 2.9 attempts per game.
“I don’t consider the drop in shooting percentage to be a major concern,” explained Scout C. “Various factors contributed: the teammates he was playing with and the quality of the shots he was taking. As his role expanded, he was intentionally taking more shots. While the percentages may not fully reflect his capabilities, I believe his shooting will continue to improve. Mechanically, nothing alarming stands out.”
With only three games played this season, it remains too early to ascertain whether Coulibaly’s 3-point shooting will enhance.
Nevertheless, he has once again demonstrated his ability to successfully make 3-pointers. Against Cleveland, he connected on four of his nine attempts from beyond the arc, indicating that he performs best as a spot-up shooter when his feet are properly set.
What has impressed Keefe thus far this season is Coulibaly’s aggressive play — and for the most part,
has been making sound choices. In the matchup against Boston, Coulibaly, supported by teammates and coaches, took it upon himself to drive to the basket with a confidence he seldom exhibited last season, resulting in eight free-throw attempts.
In the game against Cleveland, Coulibaly observed that defenders aimed to hinder his drives. Consequently, when defenders dropped back, he took the opportunity to shoot.
“He’s interpreting the game and doing what’s necessary,” Keefe remarked. “However, we want him to maintain an aggressive approach. When he does attack the basket, the impact on the defense is clear; he draws defenders in. We expect him to capitalize on that ability. He has the potential to penetrate the paint, and we will continue to develop that aspect of his game.”
Coulibaly’s Weaknesses
A vital first step toward becoming an effective playmaker is the capacity to analyze a defense, and that is something Coulibaly already does. In hindsight, due to his rapid ascent, his understanding of the game was significantly undervalued by draft analysts 17 months ago.
However, it is still uncertain whether Coulibaly possesses the necessary skills to exploit the insights he gathers. Last season as a rookie, he had an alarmingly high turnover rate for a wing player, according to the advanced analytics site Cleaning the Glass. In Washington’s three games this season, he has already turned the ball over eight times, indicating a need for him to refine his dribbling, particularly when navigating through traffic.
Once again, it’s important to acknowledge that mistakes are part of the learning process. It’s essential to remember that Wizards coaches — first Wes Unseld Jr. and then Keefe following Unseld’s departure — were careful not to overwhelm Coulibaly too quickly last season; they prioritized defensive focus and ensuring he adapted to the NBA. Consequently, only Daniel Gafford, Delon Wright, and Johnny Davis had lower usage rates than Coulibaly last year. Keefe intended to broaden Coulibaly’s responsibilities during the last month of the season, but a season-ending wrist fracture in mid-March curtailed his progression. He requires time to adjust to this newly expanded offensive role.
What is encouraging, however, is that early this season, Coulibaly has demonstrated promise as a passer, registering 10 assists.
While he has shown the ability to make open three-point shots, he still needs significant improvement before opponents view him as a genuine threat from beyond the arc. In this regard, he has not yet established himself as a floor spacer, though that may change with time.
What Coulibaly is striving to achieve, combined with the Wizards’ expectations, constitutes a challenging transition. Previously, he was primarily a defensive specialist. Now, he is tasked with evolving into a well-rounded player; he must persist in defending the league’s top perimeter scorers while taking on a more substantial playmaking role offensively. Being a dual-threat player demands increased physical effort and heightened focus. He can no longer afford to take plays off on offense.
Coulibaly’s self-awareness stands out as one of his key strengths. It is unsurprising that when queried about the most challenging aspect of his role change, he responded, “(I) gotta play both sides now. So, it’s really tough. You’ve got to stop the best player, and after that, you’ve got to get some buckets. So, yeah, it’s really tough. I’d say that’s the toughest part because you’ve got to be in great condition to do that.”
So far, he appears to be rising to that challenge.
Coulibaly’s Future
The most hopeful evaluation of Coulibaly’s future originated from Scout D, who stated, “I think they handled his development well last year. They tried to bring him along carefully — perhaps slower than he would have liked. There’s just so much potential there. This is precisely what teams in the league desire, right? Versatile wing defenders who can score adequately.
“Even if he contributes solely through spot-up three-point shooting, that’s still valuable. I truly believe there’s much more to his game. Perhaps we’ll see that emerge by the latter half of his second season, especially considering his youth. By that point in the season, we may begin to witness what he can truly achieve.”
What is the path for him to reach his full potential? It seems the best approach is to maintain a long-term perspective regarding his development.
Scout A pointed out that Coulibaly is still only 20 years old, emphasizing that he won’t celebrate his 21st birthday until next July. This context is crucial; given his youth, it’s premature to form definitive judgments. As Washington seeks to optimize its lottery chances, the team has the flexibility to give Coulibaly substantial playing time and position him prominently in its offensive strategy.
“He possesses the physical tools,” Scout A noted. “He can handle the ball well. He has a solid basketball IQ. There’s potential for versatility as a defender. However, can we currently classify him as a rotation player on a conference finalist team? Not quite. Yet, I see potential for growth. A key question with players like him is whether they can consistently make shots. That ability often distinguishes those who are just average from those who excel.”
Scout A further explained: “I’m not ready to confirm or dismiss whether he was a smart pick. It’s still too early for that. Nonetheless, the trend appears to be positive.”
At this moment, scout assessments are leaning towards cautious expectations.
“It’s more realistic to anticipate he’ll be a 3-and-D player rather than a shot creator like Brandon Miller,” Scout B remarked. “In a comparison with Brandon Miller, his shot creation and scoring touch were evident even during his time at Alabama. For Bilal, that aspect is likely to develop later. Right now, it’s still to be determined. It’s safer to project him as a defender who can successfully make open shots and excel in transition rather than being among the top two shot creators on the team.”
Coulibaly has a chance to exceed these prudent forecasts. When the Wizards traded up to secure his draft rights, it was viewed as a gamble with the potential for significant rewards.
Currently, as Coulibaly enters the second year of his career, it appears the possibility of a “high-risk” outcome is increasingly unlikely. He is unlikely to be a bust and still holds the potential to evolve into the high-reward player that Washington needs.
This season, he has begun to demonstrate skills that were seldom, if ever, seen last year. In the early moments of the fourth quarter against Cleveland, he caught a pass near the top of the arc. This prompted Evan Mobley to execute a lackluster closeout. Coulibaly seized this moment, drove past Mobley, finished with a layup, and earned a foul. This offensive maneuver against Mobley, a former first-team NBA All-Defensive player, was impressive.
“I would conservatively project him as either the secondary or tertiary playmaker on a strong team, contributing across multiple areas rather than just one on offense,” Scout D assessed. “In playoff scenarios, could he create his own shot quickly in isolation against a switch? When the ball transitions to him… is he capable of making a play from the wing? I believe that potential exists. That’s a conservative estimate. The more optimistic outlook anticipates he could take on the role of primary playmaker at times, able to dribble, pass, and score independently. Even if he’s not a top-tier self-creator, his defensive skills alone will add value.”
The 2024-25 season will begin to reveal the answer to this question: Which projection holds more validity, the conservative or the aspirational?
(Photo: Geoff Burke / USA Today Network via Imagn Images)
Assessing Bilal Coulibaly: The Washington Wizards’ Promising Two-Way Prospect
Who is Bilal Coulibaly?
Bilal Coulibaly is a young basketball talent who has recently caught the attention of NBA fans, particularly those following the Washington Wizards. Born in France, Coulibaly is celebrated for his athleticism, defensive prowess, and offensive versatility. Standing at 6 feet 6 inches and weighing around 200 pounds, he possesses the physical attributes and skill set that make him a unique prospect in the league.
Early Career and Development
Coulibaly began his basketball journey in France, showcasing his talent at various youth levels. He made significant strides in his development playing for ASVEL Basket, where he honed his skills in both offensive and defensive strategies. His performances in the Euroleague caught the eyes of NBA scouts, leading to his selection in the NBA Draft.
Key Highlights of Coulibaly’s Early Career
- Impressive playing style combining speed and agility.
- Ability to guard multiple positions due to his size and quickness.
- Strong performances in international competitions, showcasing his potential on a bigger stage.
Strengths of Bilal Coulibaly
Coulibaly’s game is defined by several key strengths that make him a valuable asset for the Washington Wizards:
Defensive Skillset
- Versatility: Capable of guarding both wings and some guards effectively.
- Basketball IQ: Exceptional understanding of defensive schemes and positioning.
- Quick Lateral Movement: Allows him to stay in front of his offensive assignment.
Offensive Potential
- Shooting Ability: Developing a reliable jump shot, crucial for spacing the floor.
- Driving Skills: Utilizes his speed to drive to the basket and finish at the rim.
- Playmaking: Shows potential as a secondary ball-handler, contributing to team play.
Statistics and Performance Metrics
Analyzing Coulibaly’s performance metrics provides insights into his impact on the court. Below is a table summarizing his key statistics from the last season:
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Points per Game | 12.4 |
| Rebounds per Game | 4.7 |
| Assists per Game | 3.1 |
| Steals per Game | 1.2 |
| Field Goal Percentage | 45% |
Practical Tips for Maximizing Coulibaly’s Potential
For the Washington Wizards to maximize Bilal Coulibaly’s potential, several strategies can be implemented:
1. Focus on Player Development
- Invest in individual skill training sessions focusing on shooting mechanics and ball-handling.
- Incorporate strength and conditioning programs to enhance physical capabilities.
2. Integrate into Team Systems
- Utilize his defensive skills by integrating him into the starting lineup against high-scoring opponents.
- Encourage a free-flowing offensive style that allows him to showcase his driving ability.
3. Mentorship from Veteran Players
- Pair him with experienced players who can guide him through the rigors of the NBA.
- Encourage learning through film sessions that highlight both strengths and areas for improvement.
Case Studies of Successful Two-Way Players
Examining other successful two-way players can provide valuable insights into Bilal Coulibaly’s potential trajectory:
Case Study 1: Matisse Thybulle
- Thybulle was recognized for his defensive skills and quickly became a cornerstone of Philadelphia’s defense.
- An emphasis on three-point shooting and offensive roles allowed him to become a reliable contributor.
Case Study 2: Lonzo Ball
- Ball’s growth in shooting and playmaking turned him into one of the league’s top two-way guards.
- His ability to read defenses and create plays made him a valuable asset to his teams.
First-Hand Experience: Coaches and Analysts Weigh In
Feedback from coaches and analysts sheds light on Coulibaly’s development trajectory:
Coach Insights
- “Bilal has an incredible work ethic. He’s always the first to show up for practice and the last to leave.”
- “His ability to learn quickly and adapt to new systems is impressive.”
Analyst Opinions
- “Coulibaly has the potential to be a true two-way player in the league, akin to the likes of Jaden Ivey.”
- “With the right guidance and opportunities, he could become a defensive stalwart for the Wizards.”
What Lies Ahead for Bilal Coulibaly?
The future looks bright for Bilal Coulibaly with the Washington Wizards. His journey in the NBA has just begun, and with a solid support system in place, he has the potential to develop into a cornerstone of the franchise. As he continues to grow both physically and mentally, Coulibaly is undoubtedly one to watch in the coming seasons.
