French Star Bilal Coulibaly Becomes a Contender for Jazz in Round 1

Victor Wembanyama isn’t the only Frenchman Utah Jazz fans should be aware of.

With the NBA lottery just around the corner, generational talent Victor Wembanyama will be grabbing the headlines. But with the Utah Jazz only having a 4.5% of obtaining the No. 1 overall pick, it may be a good idea to focus on another Frenchman that has a better shot of landing in Salt Lake City next season.

Projected first-round pick Bilal Coulibaly, who plays alongside Wembanyama for the Metropolitans 92, declared for the NBA draft earlier this month. Coulibaly broke the news to ESPN.

“The NBA has always been a dream of mine, and now it’s a goal,” Coulibaly told ESPN. “It’s the natural step in my evolution.”

Until recently, Jazz fans may not be familiar with Coulibaly, but as we approach this year's draft, he’s a prospect to keep an eye on.

Standing at 6-foot-8 with a 7-foot-2 inch wingspan, Coulibaly fits the metrics that Jazz CEO Danny Ainge will be looking for as Utah transitions into a starting lineup with more size and length. Since declaring, Coulibaly has steadily been gaining momentum in the eyes of NBA pundits.

No Ceilings had Coulibaly selected No. 14 overall in its latest mock draft going to the New Orleans Pelicans.

“Standing 6’8” with a 7’2” wingspan, Bilal Coulibaly is a defensive playmaker with potent athleticism. He darts into passing lanes and meets opponents at the rim. His driving game is nasty, with great downhill burst, wiggle, and explosive one-footed leaping ability. Coulibaly has converted 70% of his shots at the rim playing in France’s top pro league. His shot and mid-range game are both works in progress, but he’s hit 35.3% of his threes across various pro leagues this season, which is a great starting point. Coulibaly comes in as an NBA athlete who can play a role at the professional level, as he’s shown in France. But for the Pelicans, who face an uncertain future, he also offers tantalizing upside, with the potential to be a high-end defender who can attack, make good decisions, and shoot. Even if he doesn’t reach his ceiling, he gives them another long, athletic wing alongside Trey Murphy and Herb Jones.”— Nathan Grubel and Maxwell Baumbach

Being so raw, the franchise that decides he’s worth the risk will know going into the selection that Coulibaly won’t be making an immediate impact. But if there’s a team positioned to be patient, it’s the Jazz. 

With a stockpile of future draft picks, Utah has the luxury to take a swing on a player that will be spending next year in the G-League. With six incoming first-rounders over the next three years, it feels like a free roll of the dice.

Players with these metrics are a rare breed. To put it in perspective, his wingspan is two inches longer than Lauri Markkanen’s. Elite shot blocker Walker Kessler is a 7-footer, but only trumps Coulibaly’s wingspan by two inches. You get the picture.

So where will Coulibaly be selected on draft day? The mocks have been all over the map. I’ve seen experts feel there’s top-10 potential, while others have him going in the second round. 

With teams getting a handle on their draft positioning and Coulibaly’s name becoming more recognized, expect him to start climbing the mock draft boards moving forward.

Jazz fans will get closure on the matter when the NBA draft takes place on June 29th.

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