Bilal Coulibaly's sophomore season was quite the mixed bag for Washington Wizards fans. On one hand, Coulibaly's hot start to the season gave fans a lot of hope, and he continued to show flashes of his potential throughout the season. However, his counting statistics did not increase as big as fans would've liked to see.
With Coulibaly all but ruled out for the season due to a hamstring injury, it's a good time to look back at the sophomore's season. How much did the Wizards forward improve in his second year, and which areas can he make an improvement in his return next season?
Bilal Coulibaly's 2024-25 Season In Review
Coulibaly's rookie season in the league was well within the expectations for a rookie. Coming mostly off the bench, the Wizards guard/forward averaged 8.4 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game in 27.2 minutes. His shooting percentages were nothing to write home about, either: 43.5% from the field, 34.6% from deep, and a 70.2% clip from the free-throw line.
Coulibaly was billed as a defensive prospect prior to the draft. He did record nearly a steal and a block per game, and took on tough assignments. That being said, the analytics did not reflect his impact on that side of the ball: he recorded a 0.5 defensive box plus-minus and 0.9 defensive win shares.
Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images © Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
On paper, Coulibaly took a major leap this season in terms of his counting stats. He upped his averages to 12.3 points, five rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. Notably, he doubled his assists this season, as a larger role in the offense as a starter gave him leeway to create opportunities for his teammates.
Unfortunately, his bump in production came at the cost of his shooting efficiency. His shooting percentages tanked, making 42.1% of his field-goal attempts and a horrid 28.1% from deep. The good news is that his free-throw shooting improved to 74.6% on more attempts, suggesting that his shooting could improve in the following seasons.
Defensively, it's more of the same story for the Wizards sophomore. He's tied for seventh in the league in steals per game with 1.3 per game, and he's often tasked with marking the best offensive player of their opponents. Players guarded by Coulibaly shoot 1.8% worse than usual, showcasing his capabilities.
There's a high ceiling for Coulibaly: elite two-way players are valuable commodities in today's NBA. If he can improve on his shooting while continuing to be an underrated defender in the league, he will be a scary player for the Wizards' opponents.
Related: Bilal Coulibaly Had 'Surprised' Reaction About One Wizards Rookie
Copyright 2025 The Arena Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved
This story was originally published March 20, 2025 at 6:30 AM.