Inside The Wizards

NBA Coach Shares High Praise for Wizards Guard

This Washington Wizards guard is gaining respect from around the league.

Jeremy Brener

Nov 10, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) drives to the basket around Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images
Nov 10, 2024; Orlando, Florida, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) drives to the basket around Orlando Magic forward Tristan da Silva (23) during the second quarter at Kia Center. Mandatory Credit: Mike Watters-Imagn Images / Mike Watters-Imagn Images
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The Washington Wizards have a gem in second-year guard Bilal Coulibaly.

In his rookie season, his stats didn't reflect a future star after averaging just 8.4 points per game, but he's more than doubled that to start the year and he's popping up on other coaches' radars more often.

"He looks good," Orlando Magic coach Jamahl Mosley told The Athletic insider Josh Robbins. "We said it last year. He's going to be a heck of a player. His ability to guard is pretty unique and pretty special. He's not afraid of moments, he's looking to step into his shot more ... One thing that's impressive is how he defends. He's able to be a very good positional defender, but also disrupt on the ball as well. ... I think he uses his length to his advantage. He doesn't allow himself to get caught up playing too close. His length and his ability to disrupt is a high quality for him."

Coulibaly is emerging towards becoming one of the better two-way players in the league, and the reps that he gets from the Wizards helps him get closer each and every night.

While many considered Coulibaly to be more of a defensive stalwart coming out of the draft, he has the opportunity to be a playmaker for the Wizards, who are in need of one big time.

If Coulibaly can continue to work along the trajectory he's set out for himself, the Wizards could have one of their key pillars for their team on the roster for many years to come.

Coulibaly and the Wizards are continuing their road trip in the Lone Star State. Their next opponent is the San Antonio Spurs, which will feature a reunion between Coulibaly and his French national teammate Victor Wembanyama.

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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.

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