Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Solid showing despite loss
Rotowire
Coulibaly logged 14 points (6-10 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 1-1 FT), three assists, three steals and a rebound through 28 minutes in Wednesday's 131-126 loss to the 76ers.
Coulibaly has consistently seen heavy minutes this season, especially as of recently. Since missing the Milwaukee game Nov. 24 due to a knee injury, the rookie forward has averaged 9.0 points, 3.6 rebounds, 1.0 assists, 1.8 steals and 0.4 blocks over 29.0 minutes. He and Corey Kispert lead the charge amongst the second unit for the Wizards, and as he develops through his first season, expect Coulibaly's role to potentially increase moving forward.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Officially out
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Coulibaly (knee) has been ruled out for Friday's In-Season Tournament matchup with the Bucks, Ava Wallace of The Washington Post reports.
Coulibaly was a late addition to the Wizards' injury report due to a left knee bruise. The rookie has been productive recently, posting 10.1 points, 3.9 rebounds, 1.9 assists and 1.0 steals in 26.6 minutes over his last nine appearances. In his absence, Landry Shamet, Johnny Davis, Corey Kispert and Danilo Gallinari are all candidates to take on some of his minutes.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Heads back to bench
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Coulibaly isn't in the starting five for Wednesday's game versus the Hawks.
Mike Muscala will replace Coulibaly in the starting lineup Wednesday, with Daniel Gafford (ankle) still out. Coulibaly has flashed his defensive potential already this season and should be one of Washington's first options off the bench at the forward position.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Gets starts sans Gafford
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Coulibaly will start Monday's game against the Celtics.
With Daniel Gafford (hip) sidelined, the Wizards are opting for a small lineup with Tyus Jones, Jordan Poole, Deni Avdija and Kyle Kuzma surrounding Coulibaly, who'll be making his first regular-season start in the NBA. Across his first two games, the rookie has averaged 1.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 2.0 blocks in 18.5 minutes, but he figures to see an uptick in playing time and production versus Boston.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Three points in pro debut
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Coulibaly had three points (1-3 FG, 1-1 3Pt), four rebounds, three assists and three blocks over 23 minutes in Wednesday's 143-120 loss to the Pacers.
Coulibaly, the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, didn't get into the scoring mix Wednesday but did lead the team in blocks. He also had three turnovers, the second-most on the team behind Jordan Poole, but that's to be expected for a rookie. He'll continue to get meaningful minutes off the bench and will look to build off his NBA debut Saturday when the Wizards host the Grizzlies.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Hosts block party
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Coulibaly tallied 19 points (5-10 FG, 1-1- 3Pt, 8-9 FT), four rebounds, four blocks and three assists in 32 minutes during Friday's 105-99 Summer League win over the Thunder.
Coulibaly flashed his defensive potential in Friday's win. The rookie forward also displayed impressive aggression and ability to get to the free-throw line for a player who has yet to turn 19.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Selected No. 7, traded to Wizards
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Coulibaly was selected seventh overall by the Pacers in the 2023 NBA Draft before being traded to the Wizards, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic.
The Wizards are undergoing a complete rebuild after dumping Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis in recent days. That means Coulibaly will have ample opportunity to impress right away, especially on the defensive end. Coulibaly was a teammate of Victor Wembanyama on Metropolitans 92 in France, averaging 5.0 points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists in 18.1 minutes per game. He may not generate much production offensively early on, but because he thrives in transition, playing next to Tyus Jones will be helpful to the rookie. With Washington mired in a deep rebuild, it's a perfect landing spot for the 18-year-old.
