Watch- Victor Wembanyama jumps up in joy after seeing his teammate Bilal Coulibaly get selected in the 2023 NBA Draft
Victor Wembanyama is officially an NBA player after being drafted with the first-overall pick by the San Antonio Spurs. However, that didn't stop Wembanyama from celebrating his friend's success, as Bilal Coulibaly - his teammate at Metropolitans - was drafted by the Indiana Pacers with the seventh overall pick.
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Indiana owes their pick to the Washington Wizards, so Coulibaly's selection was likely a proxy pick. Regardless, that didn't stop Wembanyama from looking visibly pleased for his former teammate, as both LNB Pro standouts make their way into the NBA at the same time.
Coulibaly played 27 games for Metropolitans last season, averaging 5 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 0.8 assists per game while shooting 45.2% from three-point range and 53.2% from the field. The Washington Wizards have been making some major moves in recent days, trading away Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis to the Phoenix Suns and Boston Celtics, respectively.
By adding Coulibaly, Washington is gaining a 6-foot-8 forward who, at 18 years old, has plenty of upside. Furthermore, the French national has shown he can defend at a high level and knock down perimeter shots.
Shortly after Coulibaly was drafted, Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley discussed his fit with the Wizards.
"Scouts salivate more over his long-term outlook than his immediate-impact potential, but he'll arrive with NBA-ready strength, length, and explosiveness," Buckley wrote. "He looks like a three-and-D wing with ample opportunity to grow beyond that label. He could be a high-level shot-maker and creator down the line, but it'll take time to get anywhere close to that."
The Wizards aren't likely done reshaping their roster, so it will be worth keeping an eye on their upcoming moves as we navigate through the postseason.
Victory Wembanyama shares the emotional side of being drafted
Victor Wembanyama being the top pick in the 2023 NBA draft has been an open secret for over a year. Yet, knowing that one is heading into the NBA and actually hearing one's name get called are two very different things.
As such, when Wembanyama was officially selected by the San Antonio Spurs, the highly-touted prospect gave an emotional update on what making it to the NBA means to him.
"It actually felt like a dream."
—Victor Wembanyama is living out a lifelong dream 🙌 https://t.co/CsFSSSc0uc
"Accomplishing something that I've been dreaming of my whole life," Wembanyama said. "Hearing that sentence from Adam Silver. I've dreamed of it so much...I've dreamed of this moment for so long, it felt really surreal. It actually felt like a dream when he said that sentence."
Wembanyama will now make his way to San Antonio, where he can begin preparing for his rookie NBA season. There will likely be a steep learning curve for the young big man as he acclimates himself to a step up in both talent and athleticism.
Still, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about Wembanyama's rookie season, primarily due to his unique skill set and size but also because of how Gregg Popovich will look to utilize him on the Spurs roster.