Washington Wizards Rookie Guard Bilal Coulibaly Selected for NBA Rising Stars Game
The Washington Wizards have a exceptional rookie talent in guard Bilal Coulibaly and today the NBA recognized just how special he is.
Coulibaly was selected to take part in the NBA Rising Stars game which takes place February 16th in Indianapolis, Indiana as a part of All-Star weekend.
As a rookie the NBA can be extremely tough to adjust to but Coulibaly has adapted well.
He has been a force defensively, being only one of three rookies with 40-plus steals and 30-plus blocks.
Coulibaly also ranks top-five in defensive rebounds, steals and blocks among rookie guards.
With his length we knew coming into the season he could have a serious impact on the defensive side of the floor.
But the surprise has been how productive the rookie guard has been offensively, specifically his three-point shooting.
Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) drives on Minnesota Timberwolves guard Anthony Edwards (5) during the second half at Capital One Arena.
Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Out of rookie guards with over 100 three-point attempts, Coulibaly ranks fourth in the NBA at 39 percent from long range.
Only 11 rookies are selected to the Rising Stars game player pool with a draft happening on February 6th to decide the teams each rookie will play for, so there is a possiblity Coulibaly gets to team up with his ex-teammate San Antonio Spurs center Victor Wembanyama.
The Rising Stars roster is rich with talent this year and should be one of the better showcases in recent years.
This is one of the better rookie classes in recent years in terms of production and Coulibaly is a major part of that, making the selection even more impressive.
He didn't receive as much hype as others but he has clearly made a name for himself.
Coulibaly will represent Washington well and be able to show how good he really is on a national stage that the Wizards rarely get.
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