Mar 10, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Washington Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly (0) during a a game against the Toronto Raptors at Scotiabank Arena. Mandatory Credit: John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

What Wizards Missed Without Bilal Coulibaly

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Scott Conrad | Last updated Nov 1, 2025 11:00 AM ET

The Washington Wizards made a less-than-stellar debut in their season opener with a 132-120 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks before taking down the Dallas Mavericks. The team has won just that one as a whole, though, as they are now on a three-game losing streak.

Before Bilal Coulibay returned to action this week against the defending NBA champions, the Oklahoma City Thunder, Washington was 1-3.

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In his season debut, Coulibaly posted 16 points in addtion to eight rebounds and four assists. He also got things done defensively for Washington by recording a steal and three blocks.

The Wizards still fell in blowout fashion by a score of 127-108 on the road in Oklahoma City despite Coulibaly's best efforts, however.

Here's three reasons why Coulibaly was missed early on during the Wizards' 65th NBA season, and how he can potentially help them get better as the year goes along.

His scoring ability is needed

In two seasons, the Wizards have seen the potential of the 6'7'' wing. Coulibably improved his scoring by about four points per game last season from his rookie year.

Coulibaly's season was cut short back in March at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. Prior to that, he had scored at least ten points in nine of his eleven games during the month of February.

Coulibaly scored a season-high 27 points on two different occassions, in addition to a third game where he scored 26 points. Consistency is the key, however, as the Wizards' tall guard struggled to score more than eight points for six straight games between late November and early December last year.

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Coulibaly is a better than average defender.

The third-year athlete averaged 1.3 steals per contest last season. That's up from his 0.9 steals a game before that. Coulibaly also averages about .75 blocks a night for his career.

Originally drafted by the Indiana Pacers, the young wing got better at rebounding in just a year. He went from 4.1 to 5.0 per game.

Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

Washington trusts Coulibaly to not turn the ball over.

The Wizards have struggled holding onto the ball at times throughout the early portion of the season, which is evidenced by the fact that they have turned it over 16.0 times per game thus far, which is the eighth-worst mark in the league.

Coulibaly had four turnovers against the Thunder in his season debut, but he's averaging just 1.8 per game throughout his NBA career up to this point.

Washington hopes to start winning and improve upon its 1-4 record as the year goes on, and Coulibaly could help the team in that regard as he gets back into the groove of things.

This article first appeared on Washington Wizards on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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