“We’re thrilled to have Bilal”- Wizards reported to be keen on Victor Wembanyama’s 18-year-old teammate Bilal Coulibaly
Bilal Coulibaly was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Coulibaly was a teammate of the first overall pick Victor Wembanyama, who is constantly referred to as one of the greatest prospects in NBA history. The two of them had a lot of success together in France.
Bilal Coulibaly will be joining the Washington Wizards for the upcoming season and will look to carry over some of the impact that he had on his French team.
Spotrac's Keith Smith was able to collect an anonymous quote from Wizards personnel during the recently held NBA Summer League in Las Vegas. They seem excited to have Coulibaly on board:
“We’re thrilled to have Bilal (Coulibaly). We traded up because our intel was that other teams were attempting to do the same thing, and Indiana had made it clear they were willing to move around the board. We couldn’t risk waiting one more pick, because we knew someone else was going to come up to draft Bilal."
The Wizards made moves prior to the draft and it seemed that they had their eyes set on Coulibaly.
"But we’re going to ask everyone to be patient. He’s only 18 years old. So, this is very much throwing a kid into the fire. But this is a long-term thing for us. He doesn’t need to be great or to play on Day 1. He just needs to work hard and do what’s asked of him by the coaches.”
The Wizards are trying to not place too much pressure on Bilal Coulibaly. It is likely that Coulibaly will come off the bench for the Wizards and develop into a starter over the years.
While Wembanyama and Coulibaly won together, it is fair to say that Coulibaly had a supporting role on the team and was not a star as such. Much of the responsibility was placed on Wembanyama who led the charge both offensively and defensively.
How did Bilal Coulibaly perform in France?
Bilal Coulibaly participated in the France National U-18 team in the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship. As a young player, Coulibaly averaged 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and one assist over seven games. France finished fifth in the tournament.
Coulibaly then played professionally in the French under-21 league in 2021. Here, he was exceptional, averaging 21.9 points, 2.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game. He was seen as a strong presence on both ends of the floor which was a primary reason why he was later promoted to the senior team.
However, Coulibaly struggled to produce as a member of Metropolitans 92 in France. In 27 games, he only averaged 5.0 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game.
Shortly afterward, Bilal Coulibaly declared for the 2023 NBA draft and now looks to make an impact in the NBA.