Inside The Wizards

Bilal Coulibaly Wants Respect Put On His Name

Bilal Coulibaly is showing positive signs of development but he is also focused on gaining respect.

Carita Parks

Bilal Coulibaly Wants Respect Put On His Name
Bilal Coulibaly Wants Respect Put On His Name /
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With the Wizards holding a 3-17 record, it can be difficult to convince fans to be patient with the rebuilding process. However, there is hope that the team is putting the right pieces in place the more rookie Bilal Coulibaly makes a name for himself.

Coulibaly is showing clear signs of development in each game that he plays. In his first eight games he averaged 6.5 points, 2.9 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 0.5 steals. He also shot 43.9% from the field, 37.5% from three-point range, and 63.6% from the free throw line in 23.5 minutes.

Those numbers have moved up in his past eleven games with his averages increasing to 10 points, 4.2 rebounds, 1.8 assists, and 1.6 steals. His shooting has improved to 57.1% from the field, 44.4% from three-point range, and 71.4% from the free throw line in 28.5 minutes.

Coulibaly acknowledges that he is getting more comfortable on the court but that’s not his only focus. He also wants to make sure his opponents know that he will not be disrespected.

“I feel like sometimes they [opponents] are disrespecting me,” Coulibaly said. “Sometimes not playing defense on the three-point line so I just take those shots. Even if I miss it, I take it, and next time it goes in.”

That mindset also showed up during the Wizards game against the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday when Coulibaly threw down a poster dunk on Paul Reed and followed it up with a mean mug. When asked about the dunk in postgame, he noted that was his best NBA dunk thus far.

“That was a good one. I saw his [Paul Reed] feet were not in position to play good defense, Coulibaly said. “So I was like yeah I go to drive it. I was wide open so I said yeah I’ll dunk it.”

He followed that up with his first career double-double versus the Brooklyn Nets finishing with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Coulibaly is evidence that the Wizards front office drafted well which should give fans some solace. At this pace, he is on his way to being the future of the franchise. 

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Carita Parks
CARITA PARKS

Carita Parks is the founder and editor-in-chief of Double Take Sports, an online sports platform featuring in-depth feature interviews, personal athlete stories, game analysis, and inside access to top sporting events. As a credentialed sports journalist, Carita has covered major events such as the NBA Draft, NBA Playoffs, WNBA Draft, WNBA Finals, Super Bowl, NFL Draft, NFL Honors, and more. Her current work includes regular coverage of the NFL, WNBA, and NBA, including the Washington Wizards, Washington Mystics, and Washington Commanders. Carita’s articles and interviews have appeared on a variety of platforms including USA Today’s CommandersWire and more. Throughout her journey as a reporter, Carita has interviewed many prestigious names in sports and entertainment to include: John Wall, Bradley Beal, Kyle Kuzma, Natasha Cloud, Elena Delle Donne, Lamar Jackson, Christian McCaffrey, Patrick Mahomes, Jemele Hill, and Snoop Dogg.  As a sports insider, Carita has been invited to provide expert analysis on podcasts, radio, and television shows. She also co-hosts a ‘The Triple W,’ an all female Wizards podcast, and a DC sports podcast called ‘The Breakdown.' Carita has a Bachelor of Science in Communications and Masters in Business Administration. She is a member of Women in Sports and Events – DC Chapter and the National Association of Black Journalists. 

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