Bilal Coulibaly’s rookie season
Coulibaly appeared in 63 games, averaging 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 0.9 steals per game, navigating the expected growing pains of an NBA rookie. As one of the youngest players in the league, the organisation continued to preach patience as he continued to provide glimpses of his potential. In fact, on 30 October 2023, he became the youngest player ever to start a game for the Wizards a few months after his nineteenth birthday.
Consistency often evaded Coulibaly last season, but his flashes provided great optimism. On 9 February 2024, he scored a career-high 21 points against the eventual NBA champions Boston Celtics, knocking down four three-pointers, grabbing eight rebounds and tacking on two steals.
While it was clear that Coulibaly was still adapting to the pace and nuances of the NBA game, his defensive instincts and ceiling remained undeniable. He ranked in the top ten amongst rookies in both steals and blocks last season, also landing in the top ten for blocks by small forwards. On 21 January, against the 2023 NBA champion Denver Nuggets, Coulibaly recorded a career-high four blocks.
However, on 18 March, his season was cut short after he suffered a right wrist fracture after crashing to the court against the Chicago Bulls.
“I’m proud of myself because I’ve proved that I belong in the NBA,” Coulibaly said in an interview with Monumental Sports Network. “I proved that I can guard the best players on each team. Just proving that I can be a good player offensively, too. So yeah, I’m proud of what I did.”