The Washington Wizards will be without one of their young, up-and-coming stars for the rest of the season. In a statement posted on X, the Wizards announced rookie and the seventh overall pick of last year’s NBA draft Bilal Coulibaly will miss the team’s next 14 games. According to the team, Coulibaly suffered a “right wrist fracture ” in the team’s loss to the Chicago Bulls on Saturday:
Official: Bilal Coulibaly will miss the remainder of the regular season after being diagnosed with a right wrist fracture.
The injury, which will be treated conservatively, was suffered when Coulibaly fell during the game on March 16 at Chicago.
Josh Robbins of The Athletic said Coulibaly will not need surgery.
Washington Wizards Lose Rising Star for Remainder of Season
Bilal Coulibaly Season in Review
This season, the rookie averaged 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Furthermore, Coulibaly shot 43.5% from the field, including 34.6% from beyond the arc. After a slow start to his rookie season, Coulibaly became a mainstay in the Wizards’ starting lineup, starting the last 11 games he appeared in. Additionally, Coulibaly participated in the 2024 Panini Rising Stars event during All-Star Weekend.
Currently, the 11-57 Wizards own the worst record in the NBA. Additionally, they were also the first team to officially be eliminated from playoff contention. Although the team hasn’t had much success up to this point this season, Coulibaly was a pleasant bright spot for the team. Despite his season being cut short, Coulibaly made his presence felt during his rookie season.
How the Wizards Will Replace Bilal Coulibaly
When the Wizards inserted Coulibaly into the starting lineup, the team moved Jordan Poole to the bench. With Coulibaly now out of the lineup, it will be interesting to see if the Wizards move Poole back with the starters despite his success coming off the bench. Furthermore, Coulibaly is not the only wing out for the Wizards. Additionally, the team has already ruled out Deni Avdija and Landry Shamet for Tuesday’s game against the Houston Rockets. Once they return, the team will likely rely on them more heavily to make up for Coulibaly’s absence. In the meantime, however, the Wizards will likely utilize wing Corey Kispert more and pair him next to leading-scorer Kyle Kuzma.
The Last Word
Overall, the Wizards should feel hopeful after Coulibaly’s rookie season. As it is, it appears Coulibaly will become an important part of the Wizards’ long-term plans. The 19-year-old has a bright future and improved as the season went on. Although, unfortunately, his season came to an end early, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about the French native’s outlook. For now, it will be interesting to see what the Wizards do for the rest of the season without Coulibaly.
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