Bilal Coulibaly Scouting Report: NBA Comparison, Draft Ranking, Highlights, Stats
Contents
Bilal Coulibaly Scouting Report
Coulibaly played for Metropolitans 92 in the top French professional league this year. He was outshined (rightfully) by teammate Victor Wembanyama, but Couliably carved out a name for himself by the end of the season. The fact that he made an impact in one of the best professional leagues in the world at 18-years-old is definitely impressive.
Draft Age: 18.10
Height: 6’8”
Wingspan: 7’2”
Position: G/F
Team: Metropolitans 92 (LNB Pro A)
Strengths: Coulibaly is a hyper-athletic 6’8” wing with a 7’2” wingspan, tremendous burst, and excellent lateral quickness. He navigates screens well and covers a ton of ground in a short amount of time, which allows him to contest shots. Coulibaly often sticks to ball handlers like glue, and he may be able to legitimately guard 1-4 once he adds muscle.
On offense, he’s an efficient finisher around the basket because he utilizes his long arms to keep the ball away from defenders. Coulibaly is particularly dangerous when in transition and as a cutter. Plus, although he’s far from a three-point sniper, Coulibaly has shown the ability to be an above average catch-and-shoot threat from deep.
Finally, he’s still 18-years-old!
Weaknesses: While Coulibaly’s defensive ceiling is extraordinary, there are problematic offensive flaws. He struggled mightily to shoot jumpers off-the-dribble, and his self-creation upside will be capped as long as his handle remains loose and often out of control. His handle also caused him to commit turnovers at a high rate, which doesn’t help his already questionable passing decisions.
It’s feasible that Coulibaly removes these weaknesses one by one over the next 8-10 years before he hits his prime; however, he won’t be a significant offensive piece if he cannot address at least some of them. Given his youth and rapid development though, it’s not as concerning as usual.
Bilal Coulibaly Stats
| 2022-23 LNB Pro A | Games | PPG | APG | RPG | SPG | FG% | 3PT% | FT% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bilal Coulibaly | 27 | 5.0 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 0.8 | 53.2 | 45.2 | 59.5 |
Bilal Coulibaly NBA Comparison
Coulibaly shares many strengths with OG Anunoby, such as hounding defense, athleticism, overwhelming length, spot up shooting value, and transition scoring. In addition, their weaknesses overlap too: off-the-dribble efficiency, ball handling, and playmaking. Anunoby weighs about 30-40 pounds more though, which allows him higher positional flexibility and superior interior defense. Plus, his shooting ceiling is slightly higher than Coulibaly’s. However, they can fill the same role – a role that every team covets.
Bilal Coulibaly Highlights
Bilal Coulibaly NBA Draft Ranking, Team Fit, Landing Spot
Draft Ranking: Coulibaly ranks 14th on my Big Board and sits in the fifth tier with names like Gradey Dick, Leonard Miller, and Kobe Bufkin.
Team Fit: If the Raptors (13th) enter a full rebuild by trading Pascal Siakam and OG Anunoby, then they are the optimal location for Coulibaly. Toronto loves athletic, lengthy defenders that ooze versatility, and they could afford to be patient with the 18-year-old. A trio of Coulibaly, Scottie Barnes, and Jakob Poeltl would be the backbone of a formidable defense.
Landing Spot: Due to his upside, Coulibaly likely goes in the 10-14 range. Oklahoma City (12th) would welcome his defense, size, and youth. Coulibaly’s off-ball value could shine amongst the numerous ball handlers OKC possesses, and he fits the timeline. The same could be said of Orlando (11th) too, who are building around the ball-dominant duo of Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.
