Bilal Coulibaly, a forward for the Washington Wizards, is set to make his debut in the regular season. Head coach Brian Keefe confirmed that Coulibaly will be available for the upcoming game against the Oklahoma City Thunder. This announcement follows Coulibaly’s recovery from surgery on a torn ligament in his right thumb.
Coulibaly’s Injury and Recovery
The young forward sustained his injury while representing France at EuroBasket 2025. As a result, he missed the entire preseason and the first four games of the current season. Coulibaly was the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. His surgery occurred last month, but he has now been cleared to join his teammates on the court.
Past Performance
In the 2024/25 season, Coulibaly played a crucial role for the Wizards. He started in all 59 games, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals per game. His time on the court was roughly 33 minutes per game. Despite his efforts, his shooting percentages were lower than expected, with a field goal percentage of 42.1% and 28.1% from beyond the arc. However, at just 21 years old, he shows potential as a two-way player.
- Points Per Game: 12.3
- Rebounds Per Game: 5.0
- Assists Per Game: 3.4
- Steals Per Game: 1.3
- Average Minutes Played: 33.0
- Field Goal Percentage: 42.1%
- Three-Point Percentage: 28.1%
Wizards Starting Lineup
This season, the Wizards have utilized a starting five consisting of Bub Carrington, CJ McCollum, Kyshawn George, Khris Middleton, and Alex Sarr. This lineup has resulted in a net rating of -7.2 over 69 minutes of play. It remains uncertain whether Coulibaly will replace any of these players in the starting lineup or initially come off the bench.
Future Prospects
Coulibaly’s contract includes a rookie scale team option for the 2026/27 season. The Wizards face a deadline on Friday to decide on this option. Given his performance potential, it would be surprising if they did not exercise the $9.24 million option on his fourth year.
