2023 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Bilal Coulibaly has tons of athletic upside

2023 NBA Draft Prospect Profile: Bilal Coulibaly has tons of athletic upside originally appeared on NBC Sports Washington

The Washington Wizards have the eighth pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Here is the latest in our series of draft prospects who could fall around where the Wizards will select...

Name: Bilal Coulibaly

Team: Metropolitans 92 (France)

Position: Wing

Age: 18

Height: 6-7

Weight: 194 lbs.

Wingspan: 7-3

2022/23 stats: 27 G, 5.0 ppg, 3.1 rpg, 0.8 apg, 0.8 spg, 0.2 bpg, 53.2 FG% (1.9/3.5), 45.2 3PT% (0.5/1.1), 59.5 FT% (0.8/1.4)

Player comparison: Mikal Bridges, Andre Roberson

Projections: NBC Sports Washington 13th, Ringer 9th, Athletic 10th, NBADraft.net 13th, Bleacher Report 11th, Yahoo! 12th

5 things to know:

*Coulibaly is a supremely athletic wing with a quick first step, explosive leaping ability and a reported wingspan that is well beyond normal for a player his size, putting him in a Kawhi Leonard-category in that regard. He's very young and currently much more advanced as a defensive player than as a scorer. He draws wide praise for his ability to play disruptive defense both on and off the ball. It appears likely his path to early NBA minutes will be paved on that end of the floor.

*While known for his defense, the offensive upside is enticing because of his quick-twitch athleticism and burgeoning skillset as a ball-handler. Coulibaly blows past defenders with ease, albeit in the LNB Pro A league which is very good but does not feature the level of athletes he will face in the NBA. Coulibaly also displays impressive agility around the rim with the ability to finish with both hands, plus good timing and instincts with his passes.

*Coulibaly was not expected to be taken in the Wizards' range as recently as a month or two ago. He was a late riser on draft boards because he took advantage of a unique opportunity, playing alongside projected No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama in the Metropolitans 92's playoff run. Scouts tuned in and liked what they saw from Coulibaly, who continued to show more layers in his game. If that momentum continues, it could make for both a cool backstory on draft night and also another positive for him as a prospect, that he showed up in the biggest moments of his career so far.

*He remains a raw talent offensively, as evidenced by his production for the Metropolitans 92. Even when extrapolated to per-36 minutes, he averaged a modest 10.0 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.5 steals, per Basketball Reference. Given all that, and considering the competition he faced, Coulibaly is likely a long-term project who won't be expected to contribute right away, at least as a scorer.

*Coulibaly is originally from just outside of Paris. He is expected to be a key member of the French national team in the years ahead.

Fit with Wizards: There may be an excellent parallel for Coulibaly already on the Wizards' roster and that is Deni Avdija, their first-round pick in 2020. Just like Coulibaly, Avdija was already a professional when he was drafted and served as a secondary role player on his previous team. They both showed very intriguing flashes in terms of their athletic traits and skillset coming into the draft and, just like Avdija, Coulibaly could be picked high due to his long-term potential.

Though Avdija was able to temporarily win the starting job at small forward in his first training camp, he has since settled in as a long-term project offensively who has provided a larger impact on the defensive end. Coulibaly could follow a very similar path, but would encounter a different dynamic on the Wizards' roster than Avdija did as a rookie. That is because Avdija has now developed for three years at the wing position and they have since drafted Corey Kispert, who has emerged as one of their most productive young players.

Coulibaly would enter a crowded mix at his position that he may not be able to break through right away. While some other wings in this draft class would have a chance to start immediately, it's possible his rookie season ends up being a developmental year.

All that said, you can see why the Wizards would like Coulibaly and how he could factor into a prominent role long-term. He has the sky-high athletic upside the Thunder generally covet and new general manager Will Dawkins just came over from Oklahoma City. Coulibaly also has the potential to be elite as a wing defender, which is a player archetype every team seeks and the Wizards very much could use.

The question could be how long they intend to wait on their eighth overall pick to be a real difference-maker. If they pick Coulibaly, it could say something about just how long the long view is they are taking with revamping the roster.