Tag: Bilal Coulibaly

Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly hopes to represent France in 2024 Summer Olympics

Wizards rookie Bilal Coulibaly this week expressed his desire to represent his home country in the 2024 Olympic Games.

Washington Wizards rookie Bilal Coulibaly this week expressed his desire to represent his home country in the 2024 Olympic Games, which tip off July 27 in France.

Coulibaly, who was born just outside of Paris, projects to be among the players in contention to earn a place on France’s 12-man roster for the tournament. He has not yet debuted with the senior national team, though, appearing only in the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship.

The 19-year-old averaged 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and one assist in seven games. He was joined by Melvin Ajinca, Sidy Cissoko and Rayan Rupert as the team finished fifth in the tournament.

He hopes he will have the opportunity to be called up for the Olympics.

“I will, for sure, try to be on the team,” Coulibaly said, via Josh Robbins of The Athletic. “But, yeah, we’ll see. I mean, coaches make their choices, and I totally respect it. So, yeah, we’ll see.”

France qualified for the Olympic Games by being the host country. The team had a rather disappointing showing in the 2023 FIBA Basketball World Cup, finishing 18th with Nic Batum, Nando de Colo, Evan Fournier and Rudy Gobert on the roster.

That quartet is again expected to suit up, and Victor Wembanyama is expected to join them. He was held out of participating in the FIBA Basketball World Cup after an extended run between Metropolitans 92 and San Antonio in the NBA Summer League.

France was selected to compete in Group B, along with Germany, Japan and a team still to earn a berth. The team will face the still-to-be-decided country to open the tournament (July 27) and play Japan (July 30) and Germany (Aug. 2) to wrap up the group phase.

With so many players available, coach Vincent Collet will likely face plenty of challenges configuring the 12-man roster. After a productive rookie campaign with the Wizards, though, Coulibaly hopes he showed enough to earn a place.

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Wizards: Rookie Bilal Coulibaly to miss rest of season due to injury

Wizards rookie Bilal Coulibaly will miss the remainder of the regular season after suffering a right wrist fracture.

Washington Wizards rookie Bilal Coulibaly will miss the remainder of the season after suffering a right wrist fracture, the team announced on Monday.

Coulibaly sustained the injury on Saturday while falling in a road loss to the Chicago Bulls. The team initially deemed the injury a contusion, but testing revealed a fracture, which isn’t expected to require surgery, according to Josh Robbins of The Athletic.

He recorded 15 points, eight rebounds and two assists in 30 minutes before the injury on Saturday.

Coulibaly didn’t play on Sunday in a loss to the Boston Celtics and was seen wearing a brace on the bench. He will be sidelined for the final 14 games of the season.

Coulibaly finishes the season averaging 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 34.6% shooting from 3-point range in 63 games. He became the third-youngest player to appear in a game in franchise history on Oct. 25, 2023 (19 years, 91 days).

The seventh pick is one of eight rookies to average at least eight points, four rebounds and 1.5 assists per game this season. He is one of four first-year players with at least 40 steals and 40 blocked shots, joining Chet Holmgren, Ausar Thompson and Victor Wembanyama.

Coulibaly was among 11 rookies selected to compete in the NBA Rising Stars game. He has drawn high praise for his maturity and professionalism since joining the Wizards and appears to be a franchise cornerstone moving forward.

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Wizards’ Bilal Coulibaly wants to showcase more of his offense

Bilal Coulibaly has established himself as a strong defender this season, but is eager to showcase his ability on offense.

Bilal Coulibaly has established himself as a strong defender this season with the Washington Wizards, but the rookie from France is eager to showcase more of his ability on offense.

Coulibaly is averaging 8.3 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists on 36.3% shooting from 3-point range in 53 games with the Wizards. He is one of six rookies to average at least eight points, four rebounds and 1.5 assists this season.

The seventh pick has recorded at least one block in 28 games, and one steal in 24 games. He is one of four first-year players to register at least 40 steals and 40 blocks, joining Victor Wembanyama, Chet Holmgren and Ausar Thompson.

He wants to show more than just his defense, though.

(I’ve) just been in the gym doing my thing, working on everything offensively and defensively. I’ve seen some good things about my defense, but I’m going to show more about my offense, too.

The Wizards have undergone some changes of late after moving on from head coach Wes Unseld Jr. Coulibaly is playing about three more minutes per game on average since Brian Keefe was named interim head coach on Jan. 25, posting 9.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists.

“We’re struggling a little bit as a team but we’re getting better,” Coulibaly said. “A lot of changes these past few weeks, so we’re figuring out some things, but we’re going to keep getting better.”

The 19-year-old has drawn high praise for his maturity and professionalism since joining the Wizards. He is seemingly open to criticism and strives to improve his overall game. He wants to continue to play more consistently and vowed to make that a point of emphasis.

He was among 11 rookies selected to compete in the NBA Rising Stars game after emerging as one of the top first-year players this season. He made that a goal of his and was happy to reach it.

“When I got drafted, that was one of my first goals,” Coulibaly said. “I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ve got to be there and show I’m one of the best in my generation,’ and I think I did that. I’m happy for that.”

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NBA Rising Stars 2024: Bennedict Mathurin unanimously named MVP to lead Team Jalen to title

Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship.

Indiana Pacers sophomore Bennedict Mathurin on Friday was unanimously named MVP of the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game to lead Team Jalen to the championship in Indianapolis, Indiana.

Mathurin produced 18 points in the opening game as Team Jalen defeated Team Tamika. He had four points, two assists and one steal in a 26-13 win in the final over Team Detlef, which consisted of seven of the top players in the G League.

While Mathurin did the bulk of the scoring in the semifinal round, Dereck Lively II had six points and Jordan Hawkins and Jalen Williams each chipped in five points in the final. Williams drained the game-winning 3-pointer to end it for Team Jalen.

The event featured four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games were played to a target score of 40, and the championship game was played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consisted of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches and the players from the G League were selected by the league office.

The four teams were coached by Hall of Famer Pau Gasol, Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who led the G League team.

Here is how the teams performed in the event.

NBA Rising Stars 2024: Full rosters revealed in draft announcement

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the four seven-player teams for the 2024 NBA Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams. The seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Here are the rosters drafted by Gasol, Catchings and Rose.

NBA Rising Stars 2024: Player pool revealed for annual showcase at All-Star Weekend

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 at All-Star Weekend.

The NBA on Tuesday unveiled the list of 28 players set to participate in the annual Rising Stars game on Feb. 16 as part of All-Star Weekend in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The event will feature four seven-player teams competing in a three-game tournament for the third straight year. The two semifinal games will be played to a target score of 40. The championship game will be played to a target score of 25.

The pool of players for the game consists of 11 rookies, 10 second-year players and seven players from the G League. The 21 players in the NBA will be drafted onto three teams and the seven players in the G League will comprise the fourth team.

The players from the NBA were selected by assistant coaches. The players from the G League were selected by the league office. Each team submitted a rookie ballot and a sophomore ballot featuring four frontcourt players, four guards and two additional players of any position.

Hall of Famer Pau Gasol will return as one of the four honorary head coaches for the event. Joining Gasol are Indiana Fever legend Tamika Catchings and former Indiana Pacers standouts Jalen Rose and Detlef Schrempf, who will lead the G League team.

Assistant coaches from the NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs will join the honorary head coaches in coaching the Rising Stars teams. The NBA All-Star Game coaching staffs for both the Eastern and Western Conferences have yet to be determined.

TNT will televise the competition beginning at 9 p.m. EST.

‘It was incredible’: Victor Wembanyama, Bilal Coulibaly react to first NBA matchup

Childhood friends and teammates back in France, Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly faced each other in the NBA for the first time.

Growing up in France, Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly played basketball together and were even teammates at points in their careers.

On Saturday, they faced each other for the first time in the NBA.

Wembanyama produced 24 points, eight rebounds, six blocked shots and four assists to lead the visiting San Antonio Spurs to the 131-127 victory over the Washington Wizards. Coulibaly had 14 points, four rebounds, one assist and one block.

“It was incredible,” Wembanyama said. “I’m so proud of him. I’ve known him for so long. It always makes me feel good to see people that I love make their dreams come true. It is happening for him, and it will happen for more young French basketball prospects. I’m very grateful for this.”

Wembanyama and Coulibaly played last season together with Metropolitans 92 of the French League. With so much attention on Wembanyama, teams had the opportunity to closely watch Coulibaly, resulting in the two becoming lottery picks in the NBA draft.

Coulibaly was drafted by the Wizards just six selections after Wembanyama. They were among four French prospects selected last June, joining Rayan Rupert (Portland) and Sidy Cissoko (San Antonio). It marked the fourth time that has happened in one draft.

“(We are) happy for each other,” Coulibaly said. “We grew up together playing together since we were like 12 and now we’re playing in the league against each other. I loved the moment.”

The two players shared the court for about 10 minutes of game time, though they weren’t matched up with each other very often given their position and size differences (7 feet, 4 inches for Wembanyama, compared to 6 feet, 6 inches for Coulibaly).

However, Coulibaly’s lone block of the game came against Wembanyama.

Coulibaly met him late in the third quarter after Wembanyama received the ball deep in the paint. Wembanyama immediately went up for the acrobatic layup attempt, and Coulibaly made an athletic move to get up and swat the shot away.

Said Coulibaly after getting his first-ever block on his friend: “I wanted to dunk on him, but it was a little too much, I would say. I had the block, so I’m happy with it.”

Wembanyama and Coulibaly will not have to wait very long to see each other again on the court. The Spurs host the Wizards in their second and final matchup of the season on Jan. 28, a contest Coulibaly is patiently waiting for.

“I can’t wait to win that next game,” Coulibaly said.

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Spurs allowing Victor Wembanyama to play against Bilal Coulibaly

The San Antonio Spurs are going to let Victor Wembanyama play vs. Bilal Coulibaly and sit out the first game of their upcoming back-to-back.

On December 23, Victor Wembanyama stepped on the foot of a Dallas Mavericks staffer, ruling him out for the game. Since then, Wembanyama has been dealing with an ankle injury, and the San Antonio Spurs have had him on a minutes restriction. On top of that, he’s also not playing in back-to-backs.

The Spurs have an upcoming back-to-back against the Charlotte Hornets and Washington Wizards on January 19 and January 20. Up to this point, Wembanyama has been sitting out on the second leg of back-to-backs, but this time around, he stated his preference to sit out the first game. He wants to play against former teammate and fellow Frenchman Bilal Coulibaly.

While Wembanyama wasn’t allowed to make the choice himself, he gave his input, and the Spurs are giving him his wish. Wembanyama will sit against the Hornets and play against Coulibaly and the Wizards.

“I wish I could play in both,” Wembanyama said via Jeff McDonald of the San Antonio Express-News. “But of course I’m excited to play against Bilal.”

Wembanyama expressed how happy he is that Coulibaly is finding his way in the league.

“I’m just so proud of him,” Wembanyama said. “It is going to feel weird for sure [to go up against him.”

Coulibaly played with Wembanyama in France on Metropolitans 92 and was selected seventh overall by the Wizards in the 2023 NBA Draft.

So far this season, Coulibaly is averaging 8.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists while shooting 46.7% from the field and 38.8% from behind the three-point line. He’s playing 26.3 minutes per game.

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Wes Unseld Jr.: Bilal Coulibaly doesn’t seem affected by the rigors of NBA

Wizards coach Wes Unseld Jr. has liked what he has seen from rookie Bilal Coulibaly so far this season.

Bilal Coulibaly is approaching the halfway mark of the season with the Washington Wizards, and the seventh pick believes he is holding up well from a physical standpoint.

His coach agrees.

Coulibaly has emerged as a key rotation player this season with the Wizards, appearing mostly off the bench. He has given the second unit a spark on offense with his lightning-quick speed and high-level defense on the other end.

The 19-year-old has missed one game and is playing 26.6 minutes on average. The team has six games left until it reaches the midway point of the season, but Wes Unseld Jr. believes Coulibaly is handling the rigors of the schedule well.

It doesn’t seem to affect him. He does a really good job of maintenance as far as the strength and conditioning program. We haven’t seen a drop off in his energy or anything physically, so that is a positive sign. I also think it is new for him, so this is the first time he’ll play this many games in a condensed season. We’ll see where it takes him, but thus far, he has been pretty good.

Said Coulibaly: “I feel good. I’m getting good recovery. The guys and staff have done a good job of talking to me so I know how I feel, too. Everybody has been doing a great job and I feel good.”

Coulibaly is averaging 8.4 points, 4.2 rebounds and 1.8 assists on 39.6% shooting from 3-point range. He is fifth among rookies in 3-point percentage and is one of five first-year players shooting at least 48% from the field and 39% from beyond the arc.

He has dazzled at times on defense with his length and instincts and has drawn several tough assignments, such as Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and others. He is one of four first-year players to record at least 20 steals and 20 blocked shots.

Despite his seemingly strong display on defense, Coulibaly believes he has slipped some in that area of late. He cited letting players get past him as one aspect that must improve.

I feel like, sometimes, I get drive-bys; this is not who I am. Those types of plays, I feel like I’m not playing as hard as I used to do these days. I don’t know why, but I’m going to get back to it. I’m not worried about that.

Coulibaly emerged as one of the top prospects last year after putting up a stellar season with Metropolitans 92 in the French League. He played with both the under-21 team and the senior team, proving his maturity at such a young age.

He has drawn high praise for that maturity and professionalism since joining the Wizards. He understands which areas of his game need to improve and vowed to return to playing at a consistent level.

“I’m struggling a little bit these days, but I’m going to get back to what I’ve been used to (doing),” Coulibaly said. “I’m just happy to prove to everybody that I’m not that young; I can play against grown men.”

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Rookie Power Rankings: Chet Holmgren, Wemby and the emergence of Toumani Camara

Rookie Wire took a look at the top first-year players over the last two weeks of the 2023-24 season.

The top of the rookie class continues to perform at a high level through the first quarter of the season, while several other players have emerged with strong efforts.

Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren find themselves near the top of the NBA in a few categories. They have established themselves as the likely front-runners for Rookie of the Year, while the race for the All-Rookie teams looks to be highly competitive.

Others selected later in the draft have carved out large roles on their respective teams, which has resulted in some notable performances in the class. These players, highlighted below, have been key for their teams on the court.

To make sense of it all, we looked at the best recent performances of these first-year players and ranked them in the Rookie Wire Power Rankings. The rankings are not for Rookie of the Year purposes but to illustrate the best players week to week.