Second yr Washington Wizards winger Bilal Coulibaly not leaving anytime quickly. The France worldwide has had a great begin to the season and has been rewarded with longer-term safety.
The wizards exercised the third-year recruit ladder staff possibility on Coulibaly, by way of the staff press launch. The 20-year-old will now be in Washington till 2027, when he hits restricted free company.
Coulibaly is averaging 16 factors per sport on 50% taking pictures with 4.7 rebounds and three.3 assists within the Wizards’ first three video games. The 6-foot-8, 195-pounder had a profession evening in opposition to the Cleveland Cavaliers on Oct. 26, scoring 23 factors on 9-16 taking pictures, together with 4-9 from deep, with six rebounds and an help.
Coulibaly is one among Washington’s high leaders constructing blocks for the long run, and it’s only simply starting.
Bilal Coulibaly will be the Wizards’ high winger
Coulibaly has impressed defensively this season along with his offensive work. The 2023 first-round decide took down Atlanta Hawks famous person Trae Younger on Monday, limiting him to 2 factors on 0-of-7 taking pictures from the sphere with 5 turnovers.
Coulibaly can turn into a versatile 3-and-D participant if all goes properly, by way of Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
“I feel on the peak of his improvement, he’ll be type of that 3-and-D man you can placed on the most important wings within the league and might guard a number of positions,” one scout instructed Robbins earlier than the season. “His taking pictures improvement and talent to complete in site visitors shall be what determines the place his ceiling is when it comes to offensive expertise.”
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Monday’s sport proved that Coulibaly can deal with guards defensively, however the jury continues to be out on whether or not he can bother attackers over an prolonged time frame. Offensively, there shall be no issues for him if he continues to attain half of his discipline objectives.
“However I assumed he confirmed sufficient flashes (as a rookie). Clearly, the place the staff was (final season) and what the staff’s purpose was, it is tough for a younger participant to be actually constant and play properly on a regular basis,” the scout continued. . “However the thought of a giant winger who can guard a number of positions and create his personal shot stays a hope for him.”
Coulibaly nonetheless has rather a lot to show, however Washington cannot complain about his work up to now.
Moreover, the Wizards not exercising their staff choices on the rookie scale on Johnny Davis and Patrick Baldwin Jr., which schedules them to enter unrestricted free company this summer season, by way of Robbins.
