Coulibaly, Rupert Could Continue Streak of International Selections for Thunder

Oklahoma City has drafted at least one international player in each of the last three draft cycles, bringing in four players from around the globe. In 2020, OKC selected Aleksej Pokusevski and Vit Krejci before taking a chance on Josh Giddey and Ousmane Dieng in the following two drafts.

Bilal Coulibaly and Rayan Rupert, two impressive French wings, could extend the Thunder's stretch of international draft picks to a fourth season if OKC takes one of the intriguing prospects at No. 12. Both players can have played professionally overseas and seem to have multiple skills that Oklahoma City General Manager Sam Presti covets in a prospect.

Coulibaly is a teammate of presumed No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama, playing for the French club Metropolitans 92. Listed at 6-foot-6, Coulibaly will be 18 at the time of the draft.

Both of the aforementioned intangibles typically appeal to Presti, as he likes to draft players with positional size who best fit the Thunder's timeline.

Over 27 games in France's top league, Coulibaly averaged five points, 3.1 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 0.8 steals while playing 18 minutes per game. The rising star shot 53.2% from the field and 45.2% from beyond the arc, according to Basketball Reference.

While his stats aren't eye-popping, scouts are impressed with Coulibaly's length and defensive ability, as well as his improving offensive arsenal.

Rupert on the other hand, has been discussed by NBA scouts since before the 2022-23 season began. Similar to Dieng, Rupert is a stellar defender on the perimeter for the New Zealand Breakers of the NBL.

Rupert also has good size for a wing, listed at 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan. The Frenchman's sister currently plays for the Atlanta Dream of the WNBA in addition to his father playing professional basketball in France.

This season for the Breakers, Rupert averaged 6.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, one assist and 0.8 steals per game, shooting 36.4% from the field. Rupert may not have an impressive offensive resume at the moment, but his defensive prowess excites NBA teams and could help the talented 18-year-old rise into the top 20.

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