They don’t win many games, with the Spurs and Wizards respectively, but Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly do not disappoint on an individual level. Less publicized, and less used than his former teammate, Coulibaly took advantage of the trip to Brooklyn to confirm that his room for improvement is immense.
As in Boulogne-Levallois, the young French winger surprises with his volume of play, and his ability to impose himself whatever the level. Sunday night, he started on the bench, as he has since the start of the season, but as soon as he came into play, the Wizards showed a different face. As a result, Wes Unseld Jr. started him in the second half, and never took him out of the match!
For Kyle Kuzma, Coulibaly is “a sponge”
“He was very good,” recognizes the Wizards coach, after the defeat against the Nets. “He looks very calm on the pitch, very confident. He is aggressive. He knows very well when and how to do it. He seems comfortable behind the 3-point line, which is a positive. I just think he needs to continue to build on that. »
Author of 20 points on 8 of 12 shots, but also 7 rebounds and 4 interceptions, Coulibaly finished the match with 4 of 7 from 3-point range. His mechanics are still slow, but he applies himself, and the Nets made the mistake of neglecting him. It was also him, on a 3-pointer, who gave the Wizards the advantage at the start of “money time”. Since the start of the season, Coulibaly has shot 42% from 3-point range, and few people thought he was capable of it.
“He’s such a sponge.” sums up Kyle Kuzma. “He wants to become a very good player, and he is very mature. We see that he knows how to play. He plays with such mastery that he doesn’t make too many mistakes.”
Remember that Coulibaly is only 19 years old, and that he is the 2nd youngest player in the entire NBA.
| Bilal Coulibaly | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2023-24 | W.A.S. | 8 | 24 | 43.9 | 37.5 | 63.6 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 6.5 |
| Total | 8 | 24 | 43.9 | 37.5 | 63.6 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 1.5 | 1.8 | 0.5 | 1.4 | 0.9 | 6.5 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
