Assessing Bilal Coulibaly's Fit in Oklahoma City

Oklahoma City has picked up quite the reputation for taking home-run swings in the NBA Draft throughout the course of franchise’s existence.

In the current rebuild especially, Sam Presti has placed value and emphasis on potential and development. The vision has been evident since Oklahoma City’s rebuild began, with specific examples in both Aleksej Pokusevski and Ousmane Dieng. The jury is still out on the two former first-round picks, but the prototype is clear.

The Thunder values room for growth, and allows young players on the roster time to progress and make mistakes. That’s why French wing Bilal Coulibaly is an interesting case study to analyze from Oklahoma City’s perspective, and why he may be a solid fit on the team of the future.

NEWS: Bilal Coulibaly, a projected first rounder, has declared for the NBA draft, he told ESPN. Standing 6'8 with a 7'2 wingspan and significant long-term potential, Coulibaly has broken out in a major way alongside Victor Wembanyama as of late.

STORY: https://t.co/1AyQYyyaq0 pic.twitter.com/K6RKzr6n6K
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) April 20, 2023

At 18 years old, Coulibaly figures to be one of the youngest players in the NBA Draft pool. He’s no stranger to the spotlight, either, after sharing the floor with projected No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama overseas this season. He floated between the basketball club’s junior and senior teams, but seems to have really found his footing with Metropolitans 92 and is locked into the impending playoff race.

Coulibaly is listed at 6-foot-8 in Jonathan Givony’s latest story, but tabbed at 6-foot-6 most everywhere else. His size is a huge plus on the perimeter, where he has serious potential on the defensive end. Coulibaly’s natural guard skills point back to his basketball upbringing, where he was a lead ball-handler oftentimes. The high-flier was a 5-foot-11 guard until he was 16 years old, and is just figuring out how to use his added size and length over the last two years. He looks better every game, too.

2004 🇫🇷 6'7 Wing Bilal Coulibaly has established himself as a potential first round pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. Bilal has contributed with winning plays on both ends of the court thanks to his off-ball scoring tools and 7'3 wingspan. He's shooting 57% 3PT since the start of 2023. pic.twitter.com/1vyGvEvo08
— Eurohopes (@Eurohopes) April 18, 2023

According to RealGM, Coulibaly has averaged 11.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 steals per game in 39 appearances between the club’s junior and senior teams. During that stretch, he’s shot 54% from the floor, 35% from 3-point range and 72% from the free throw line.

Rapid growth throughout the season, off-the-charts athleticism and size on the perimeter are three clear qualities Oklahoma City has targeted in previous drafts. Coulibaly possesses all three, and could fit the team's mold moving forward.

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