Time for Wizards to Bid Fairwell to Former Draft Pick

Basketball is a game built on runs. Teams often win a game thanks to one 20-point run in the third quarter. Some teams lose a game due to a bad run of basketball. Players also get traded due to a rough run of on-court performances. The Washington Wizards are one of these teams that have seen a run of bad luck and bad performances by players.

The most obvious player, though, who has gone through a two-year run of bad play is Bilal Coulibaly, and his time in Washington is starting to see the door close.

The forward is only 21 years old, which seems young, but this is his third season in the league. By now, players usually take a leap and show they can be a contributor to winning basketball. Coulibaly has done the opposite, looking worse and worse each season. Players take leaps forward, not go down the slide in a game of Chutes and Ladders.

In his rookie season, Coulibaly showed vast potential by averaging 8.4 points on 34.6 percent shooting from distance. His defense was also highlighted immediately in his rookie year. In his second season, Coulibaly increased his points per game to 12.4. Still, his efficiency dropped, shooting 28.1 percent from long range. Now, this season is even worse, as Coulibaly is back to averaging 8.4 points while shooting 24.4 percent from three.

Bilal Coulibaly has played in just 13 of the Wizards’ 25 games this season due to various injuries.

And when he’s been on the floor, he hasn’t been good offensively, especially from 3-point range. pic.twitter.com/U71tIJySs5
— Greg Finberg (@GregFinberg) December 19, 2025

To be positive before this article highlights the negatives even more, the French forward is a fantastic defender. He shut down Giannis Antetokounmpo a few games ago. He was tasked with guarding Victor Wembanyama in their first matchup against the San Antonio Spurs this season. Still, this does not matter if Coulibaly cannot even crack 10 points a game as a starter.

Another problem Coulibaly faces is staying healthy. In his short career so far, the third-year forward has appeared in 135 of 189 games. That comes out to him playing in 71.4 percent of career games so far. Not a bad number at all, but this season he has missed nearly half the games. It started with a surgery on his wrist during the summer, and he continued to sustain injuries every few games this season. It looks like the forward will never truly be healthy.

The final problem with Coulibaly is the fact that he may not have a starting position much longer. Some other young players, like Will Riley, have looked great in the minutes they have received, threatening Coulibaly for a starting position. This upcoming draft is also filled with talent in his position, such as Cameron Boozer and AJ Dybantsa. If Washington ends up with either one of those players, it's safe to assume that they would start in place of Coulibaly.

Potential first overall pick and future Washington Wizards player AJ Dybantsa driving to the rim against Clemson. — Dec 9, 2025; New York, New York, USA; BYU Cougars forward AJ Dybantsa (3) drives past Clemson Tigers forward Jake Wahlin (10) in the first half at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

The season has been really tough for every player on the team, but Coulibaly may be experiencing the worst of it. His efficiency keeps dropping, he continuously gets hurt, and this 2026 draft class could push him out of a starting spot. If he does not pick things up soon, and by soon, it needs to be before the new year, then his time as a key piece of this squad could see the final page of his story in the DMV.

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