Wizards Young Guard Surprising Early
The Washington Wizards knew Bilal Coulibaly would be a developmental project when he was chosen with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.
However, it appears that he is early on arrival, especially on the offensive end of the floor.
The Athletic insider Joshua Robbins wrote about how surprising Coulibaly's development has been so far this season.
"Team officials and fans hoped Coulibaly would take a big step on offense in his second NBA season," Robbins wrote. "But during the preseason, he was nowhere near this assertive — or this good. (To be fair, he missed Washington’s final two exhibitions because of an injured left index finger.) Aside from a high rate of turnovers, he’s been superb in an enhanced playmaking role. It’s not just that he’s averaging 18.8 points or even that he’s shooting 59 percent from the field and 42 percent from 3. It’s his overall confidence. And, remember, he turned 20 in July. He has been impressive, and that’s important for Washington’s rebuild."
Coulibaly scored a career-high 27 points in the team's win earlier this week against the Atlanta Hawks, proving that he is ready to take more of a responsibility on offense
The 20-year-old came into the league as a defensive specialist, as teams were enamored by his size on the wing and his ability to defend on an NBA level while playing alongside No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama in France.
However, if Coulibaly can find a way to become a strong offensive player as well, he could emerge into one of the league's best young two-way players.
Coulibaly will look to build off of his career-high performance as the Wizards face off against the Miami Heat tonight in Mexico City. Tipoff is set for 9:30 p.m. ET.