Feb 26, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards guard Bilal Coulibaly (0) reacts against the Portland Trail Blazers in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Why Wizards Have to Keep Bilal Coulibaly

Originally posted on Washington Wizards on SI
By Tyrone Montgomery | Last updated Apr 20, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Everyone comes to a time in life when their patience may be tested. Perhaps they have been enduring a problem for quite some time now, but it has become a recurring one. One problem the Washington Wizards may have is injuries.

When you think of injuries hurting a team, you may think of Joel Embiid. His body refuses to stay in good shape as he is faced with numerous injuries every season for the Philadelphia 76ers. He is the star of the team, so he feels more absent than most players. However, the Wizards may have an injury problem of their own.

Bilal Coulibaly was ruled out and missed the end of the regular season this year as he dealt with an injury to his right hamstring. In his rookie year, his season was cut short as he dealt with yet another injury to his right wrist. While he has been in the league for just two seasons, we have seen both seasons end prematurely due to injury.

FG% Of All-Star Caliber Players When Guarded By Bilal Coulibaly In The 2024-25 NBA Regular Season :

1. Trae Young — 17.9%
2. Devin Booker — 20.0%
3. LaMelo Ball — 30.0%
4. Tyrese Haliburton — 33.3%
4. Tyrese Maxey — 33.3%
6. Jayson Tatum — 35.0%
7. Damian… https://t.co/mCp9bLIuCZ pic.twitter.com/zDlmnDJHo0
— Stat Defender (@statdefender) April 17, 2025

Despite his injuries, they weren’t considered major injuries. He also isn’t the star of the team despite being a key player to their plans. He is already one of the league’s best defenders.

He has held some of the league’s best scorers to under 35% shooting from the field. Those players include Steph Curry (Golden State Warriors), Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics), Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns), LaMelo Ball (Charlotte Hornets), Damian Lillard (Milwaukee Bucks), Tyrese Haliburton (Indiana Pacers), Tyrese Maxey (Philadelphia 76ers), and even Trae Young (Atlanta Hawks).

Every team needs a defender like Coulibaly on their team because you are faced with a dynamic wing scorer every night in the NBA. Stopping them players and slowing them down is a key factor in winning. Some teams have multiple dynamic scorers on the wing, so having a player like Coulibaly is even more important nowadays. The Wizards certainly should keep Coulibaly for the long run.

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

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