Bilal Coulibaly’s second season in the NBA was quite the mixed bag. The Washington Wizards sophomore came off a rookie season where he showed promise on the defensive end, but showed that he needed work on offense. Coulibaly has shown growth in some areas, but overall there’s still some major room for improvement.
After the season was over, the Wizards forward took to Instagram to send a message to the fans. It was a simple, three-word message. In the story, Coulibaly said, “’til next time!”.
Coulibaly was drafted by the Wizards with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Coming from the same team as Victor Wembanyama prior to the draft, there was some interest in the French forward. Coulibaly was projected to be a defensive specialist who was a project on the offensive side of the ball.
Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) blocks the shot of Memphis Grizzlies forward Brandon Clarke (15) in the fourth quarter at Capital One Arena.Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
His first season with the Wizards went mostly as expected for the rookie. Coulibaly was a menace on defense, but he averaged just 8.4 points in 27.2 minutes played per game. He averaged nearly a steal and a block per game: a foreshadowing of his defensive prowess. That being said… his efficiency needed to improve on offense.
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In Year 2, Coulibaly’s production shot up as he moved into a more prominent role on the Wizards. He played 33 minutes per game, starting in all of the 59 games he played. Coulibaly averaged 12.3 points, five rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. He doubled his assist average from last season: a great sign. That being said… his shooting percentages nosedived, particularly his three-point shot (28.1%, down from 34.6% last season).
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