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Bilal Coulibaly is a name that has been climbing up boards ahead of the upcoming NBA draft. Coulibaly is expected to be an incredible talent at 6-8 195 pounds with a 7-2 wingspan. He has the talent to be one of the top players in this draft class, and it will be interesting to see how he does as an overseas talent.
As a teammate of projected first-overall pick Victor Wembanyama for Metropolitans 92, it will be interesting to see where he winds up. What teams should be in the market for a potential international superstar? Let's take a look.
What to expect out of Bilal Coulibaly
Bilal Coulibaly is 18 years old and will be 19 when the NBA Summer League opens up. He struggled to produce as a member of Metropolitans 92 in France, though, and that can be a cause of concern for many NBA talent evaluators. In 27 games, he averaged five points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists, 0.8 steals, and 0.2 blocks in 18.1 minutes per game.
His shooting from outside will need to improve at the NBA level, though, as his 45.2 percent can be a bit deceiving. He is only attempting 1.1 threes per game and not shooting much. Bilal Coulibaly has the ability to be a top slasher by getting downhill and attacking the basket, similar to Giannis Antetokounmpo for the Milwaukee Bucks.
He is a solid defender, though, as he can disrupt passing lanes with his large wingspan and use his elite athleticism to be disruptive to ball handlers. One team that will be interested is the Utah Jazz, with the ninth pick. The team can easily move Lauri Markkanen to the power forward position and allow Bilal Coulibaly to progress in the starting lineup at the NBA level.
Another team that should get some intel on him is the Oklahoma City Thunder, with the 12th selection. This way, the Thunder can get another young star to grow with their core and throw a player or two in the rotation for a trade to acquire a superstar to pair with point guard Shai Gilgeous-Alexander.
It might take a while, but small forward Bilal Coulibaly could be a good starting wing player in the NBA in just a few years. If he gets drafted by the right team with good player development, the rest of the NBA should worry. Expect to hear Coulibaly's name in the latter half of the lottery.
