Wizards Have Emerging Foundation Piece

The Washington Wizards are seeing positive growth from one of their young players.

Nov 22, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Celtics forward Jayson Tatum (0) dribbles the ball as Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) defends in the first half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly is back on track after entering and exiting the NBA's concussion protocol following a hit to the head against the Detroit Pistons.

Now that Coulibaly is back, he can pick up where he left off. Before the injury, Coulibaly was one of the league's most impressive second-year players and his leap from Year 1 to Year 2 was very evident.

Coulibaly's teammate Jordan Poole gets a front-row view of his evolution, and that has him excited.

“I think everybody in the league knows what BC is capable of,” Poole said. “Everybody in our team knows and he's just a really good player just being able to go out there, play 40 [minutes] and just have the impact that he had on the defensive end, being aggressive on the offensive end getting to the cup but also making the right plays. He's a really good player, he's continuing to get better each and every day.”

The biggest part of Coulibaly's game that has taken a step forward is his efficiency and ability to create for himself.

With Tyus Jones no longer on the team, the Wizards lacked a true point guard to create. That put the responsibility more in Coulibaly's hands. With Malcolm Brogdon now in the fold, that responsibility may wane a little bit, but it's important to note that he has the reps and can create when needed.

Coulibaly has the full green light from the coaching staff to make mistakes, mess up and try, and that could ultimately be what makes him a great player in the NBA for years to come.

Coulibaly and the Wizards look to bounce back in their next game, an NBA Cup affair against Nikola Vucevic and the Chicago Bulls at home.

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