Bilal Coulibaly improvement could cement him as Wizards' building block

"Coulibaly shined early as a defensive standout and while he's seemingly regressed in that area solely because of his over-aggressive playing style, that's something that can be fixed solely with discipline. You can't teach instincts or size and that's two things the French product thrives at, which is alone what made his potential standout to Washington's front office. Entering his sophomore season, it was evident from the jump that offensively, Coulibaly had put in work from the summer before."

"The guard's offense looked more polished and dare I say fluent, at least in comparison to what it looked during his rookie campaign. While his numbers aren't efficient, the improvements he made on that side of the court were enough to increase the hope that eventually, he could pan out to be the building block the Wizards hoped he could become when they selected him at No. 7 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft."

"To do that, he'll need to find a way to become a consistent offensive player. Obviously, becoming a knock down shooter is one way to do that. Coulibaly's jumper has already shown progress and if he can begin to drain shots at a higher rate, he immediately becomes a threat that opposing teams have to pay attention to on offense."

Bilal Coulibaly possesses size, instincts, and raw defensive talent that created early promise for the Washington Wizards. Over-aggression has caused a perceived defensive regression that can be corrected with greater discipline. Offensive polish improved in his sophomore season after summer work, producing a more fluent game despite inefficient overall numbers. Continued development of shooting consistency and playmaking is necessary to convert potential into a reliable two-way building block. If Coulibaly becomes a knock-down shooter and an effective playmaker, he will apply more pressure on opponents and open offense for teammates. He was selected No. 7 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft and remains a high-upside prospect requiring refinement.

Read at Wiz of Awes