NBA Draft: Wembanyama, Coulibaly Struggle in Loss to Monaco

While the NBA Finals continue, with the Nuggets leading the series 3-1 en route back to Denver, top 2023 NBA Draft prospect Victor Wembanyama is amidst a championship battle of his own.

Wembanyama, flanked by potential 2023 lottery pick Bilal Coulibaly, took on Monaco Saturday in the first game of the LNB Pro A Finals.

While both have thrived in their respective areas in the postseason thus far, both Wembanyama and Coulibaly struggled mightily early in the game on Saturday, with the Metropolitans 92 falling to Monaco, 87-64.

Wembanyama — who in Game 4 of the semifinals poured on 15 points, seven rebounds and five blocks to send the defending champions home — scored just four points on 1-for-6 shooting during the height of competition Saturday. He would eventually re-enter the game with around a 30-point deficit on the board, pushing his final stat-line to eight points and seven rebounds.

The soon-to-be No. 1 pick did add a pair of blocks, but was otherwise ineffective early against a very physical Monaco team that sent double-teams left and right at the young French prospect.

Coulibaly saw a similar result early in the game, playing just 15 minutes in the first half and beginning of the third quarter, shooting 1-for-5 from the floor. Coulibaly would eventually re-enter, too, providing his patented, stingy defense and boosting his stats to seven points, two rebounds and one steal.

Wembanyama’s stock is firmly cemented, as he’s set to be a San Antonio Spur in just a few short weeks. Coulibaly, who at 18 has been a pivotal piece to the Mets 92 finals run, may have earned himself a lottery grade, too. Though his stock is much more up in the air.

The pair will have, in the least, two more games to get back on track as the LNB Finals is a best-of-five series. After that, the next professional basketball they’ll play will be on their new NBA squads.

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