Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly showcasing offensive flashes with defensive dominance

Bilal Coulibaly is averaging 12.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.4 steals per game on 44 percent shooting this season, but the 20-year-old's second year in the NBA has been marked by inconsistency. While his defensive prowess remains a standout feature, his offensive performance has fluctuated significantly.

The French guard has built a reputation as one of the league's elite young defenders. Early in the season, he showcased his defensive impact by holding top scorers like Trae Young and Jayson Tatum to just 2-of-20 and 7-of-20 shooting from the field, respectively, over multiple games. 

Both players also went scoreless from beyond the arc when matched up against Coulibaly, despite playing over 20 minutes in those matchups. His defensive dominance extended to a face-off with Golden State Warriors superstar Steph Curry, limiting the sharpshooter to just 1-of-7 shooting overall and 1-of-6 from deep. 

At 6-foot-8, Coulibaly’s combination of size, athleticism and discipline has made him a nightmare matchup for some of the league’s best offensive players.

However, his offensive production has been a stark contrast to his defensive stability. After a strong start to the season, including three 20-point games in his first five outings, he reached a career-high 27 points in an Oct. 30 victory against the Atlanta Hawks.

But that early success gave way to a prolonged slump. In a six-game stretch from late November into early December, Coulibaly managed just 5.1 points per game on a woeful 17.5 percent shooting from the field, including only one made three-pointer during the span. 

Despite finding good looks, his shots often failed to fall, raising concerns among Wizards fans about his offensive development.

Head coach Brian Keefe, however, has remained steadfast in his belief in the young guard, emphasizing Coulibaly's defensive contributions and attributing the struggles to lineup adjustments.

"We have different combinations that are playing together now, so some of it is lineup combinations he's getting used to," Keefe said following a loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. "We played a lineup we hadn't played before, and that's a totally different thing for him too. I’m not worried about him at all. The defense was impressive."

In recent games, Coulibaly has begun to shake off his offensive slump, delivering a series of strong performances. Over his last three outings, he has averaged 21 points per game on 47.2 percent shooting, hitting nine three-pointers during that stretch. 

On Dec. 13, he tied his career-high with 27 points in a game against the Cleveland Cavaliers, shooting 10-of-18 from the field and setting a new career-high with five made threes.

Just two days later, Coulibaly demonstrated his playmaking potential with a career-best six assists in a game against the Boston Celtics, further highlighting his recent all-around improvement.

Whether Coulibaly can maintain this level of offensive consistency remains to be seen. Still, his ability to bounce back suggests his earlier slump may have been temporary rather than indicative of a deeper issue.

As he continues to refine his skills on both ends of the court, the Wizards face an intriguing prospect. Coulibaly could develop into a cornerstone player for the franchise — or a highly valuable trade asset capable of commanding a significant return.