Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Posts full line in debut
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Coulibaly (thumb) ended with 16 points (6-12 FG, 2-7 3Pt, 2-2 FT), eight rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal across 24 minutes in Thursday's 127-108 loss to the Thunder.
After missing Washington's first four games while completing his recovery from right thumb surgery, Coulibaly was cleared to make his 2025-26 debut Thursday and immediately took back a spot in the starting five, with Bub Carrington moving to the bench as a result. Though he improved his averages across the board during his sophomore season in 2024-25 while taking on a larger role for Washington, Coulibaly didn't take much of a step forward with his efficiency, converting at a 42.1 percent clip from the field and 28.1 percent rate from downtown. At least for his debut game, Coulibaly fared well from inside the arc, and he delivered the production in the defensive categories that has driven most of his fantasy value in the prior two seasons. Some inconsistency should be expected with Coulibaly's offensive output moving forward, but the excellent all-around line he posted Thursday at least makes him worthy of a speculative pickup in most leagues where he's still available.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Starting Thursday
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Coulibaly is in the starting lineup for Thursday's matchup with the Thunder.
With Coulibaly starting, Bub Carrington will shift to the second unit, and his minutes could see a sizeable dip. Joining Coulibaly in the starting five will be CJ McCollum, Kyshawn George, Khris Middleton and Alex Sarr.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Team option exercised
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The Wizards exercised their 2026-27 team option for Coulibaly on Thursday, Michael Scotto of USA Today reports.
Coulibaly's option is valued at $9.24 million, and this decision was a no-brainer for the franchise. Coulibaly underwent a Sept. 12 surgery to address a ligament tear in his right thumb, but he's been cleared to make his 2025-26 debut against the Thunder on Thursday.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: To debut Thursday
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Coulibaly (thumb) will make his season debut Thursday against the Thunder, Chase Hughes of Monumental Sports Network reports.
This is a huge development for the Wizards as they reintroduce their prized young forward back into the mix. He's likely to have restrictions in the early going, as this will be his first live action since his Sept. 12 surgery to address a ligament tear in his right thumb. With Coulibaly set to return, it will be interesting to see how the Wizards tweak their rotation because of how well Kyshawn George is playing.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Ruled out for Tuesday
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Coulibaly (thumb) has been ruled out for Tuesday's game against Philadelphia.
Head coach Brian Keefe said Sunday that Coulibaly is considered day-to-day, though the team doesn't have a set timetable for his return, according to Ben Strober of 106-7 The Fan Washington. The 21-year-old swingman's next opportunity to make his season debut will come Thursday against the Thunder.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Back in action during EuroBasket
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Coulibaly (hamstring) logged 10 points in 22 minutes of action for France during Sunday's 92-77 win over Greece in EuroBasket exhibition play, per Giorgos Kyriakidis of BasketNews.com.
Coulibaly missed the final month of the regular season due to a hamstring injury, but fantasy managers should be encouraged to see him back on the court this summer. The 2023 first-rounder figures to be a full participant in training camp this fall, and he's set to play a significant role in Washington's frontcourt in 2025-26. Coulibaly averaged 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals in 33.0 minutes per game through 59 regular-season outings in 2024-25.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Won't return Monday
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Coulibaly won't return during Monday's game against Toronto due to right hamstring tightness.
Coulibaly exited to the locker room in the first quarter after being fouled on a dunk, and he'll finish the game with four points (1-1 FG, 2-3 FT), two rebounds and one assist across eight minutes. Justin Champagnie and Corey Kispert will likely see an uptick in playing time the rest of the way due to Coulibaly being sidelined.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Scores 17 points in win
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Coulibaly amassed 17 points (6-18 FG, 3-11 3Pt, 2-2 FT), seven rebounds, three assists and one block across 34 minutes during Saturday's 113-100 win over the Hornets.
Coulibaly embraced a bigger role on offense due to the absence of Jordan Poole (elbow), and while he had a strong fantasy line, he could've had an even bigger impact had he shot the ball more accurately. Coulibaly has scored in double digits in his last four games and should remain one of the Wizards' go-to options on offense as long as he stays healthy. In five games since the All-Star break, Coulibaly is averaging 14.2 points, 4.2 rebounds and 3.6 assists per game while shooting 45.8 percent from the floor and 26.1 percent from deep.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Working through knee injury
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Coulibaly is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Magic due to a right knee contusion.
Coulibaly may have picked up the injury during the Wizards' 104-101 loss to the Bucks on Friday. Bub Carrington and Corey Kispert would be in line for increased roles and playing time if Coulibaly is not cleared to play Sunday. Coulibaly has averaged 13.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists and 1.4 steals over 35.6 minutes per game in February.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Inefficient 17 points in loss
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Coulibaly posted 17 points (6-20 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 4-4 FT), seven rebounds, one block and one steal in 35 minutes during Saturday's 125-111 loss to Atlanta.
Coulibaly's shooting efficiency has been mostly inconsistent this season, but he's now hit double-digit scoring figures in 10 of his last 12 outings. The second-year forward has averaged 14.1 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 threes during that stretch. Coulibaly's workload and defensive contributions have also remained steady, with averages of 1.4 steals, 0.8 blocks and 33.1 minutes.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Posts first triple-double of career
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Coulibaly registered 11 points (5-9 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 1-1 FT), 10 rebounds, 11 assists, one block and two steals across 31 minutes during Wednesday's 119-102 victory over the Nets.
Coulibaly had an impressive showing on both ends of the court and delivered the first triple-double of his young career, making his presence felt and playing a huge role in a game where Jordan Poole had another subpar shooting display. Coulibaly has been very productive of late and is averaging a solid line of 13.6 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 1.3 steals per game over his last 10 appearances.
Coulibaly registered 26 points (9-16 FG, 4-8 3Pt, 4-5 FT), five rebounds, three assists and two steals over 37 minutes during Monday's 124-114 win over Charlotte.
Coulibaly's scoring total was one point shy from matching his season high, and Monday was the first time since Dec. 26 that he scored at least 20 points. It was a welcome turn of events for the second-year forward from France, as he had been shooting just 39.8 percent from the field (including 18.4 percent from three) over his last 10 outings. Coulibaly will look to keep the hot hand going against the Nets on Wednesday.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Strong defensive showing in win
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Coulibaly racked up 14 points (4-9 FG, 2-2 3Pt, 4-5 FT), four rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals across 37 minutes during Saturday's 105-103 win over the Timberwolves.
The second-year wing is still struggling to be a consistent offensive threat, but Coulibaly is making his mark at the other end of the court. He's recorded multiple steals and blocks in the same game three times in his last 12 outings, averaging 11.8 points, 3.9 boards, 2.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.8 blocks and 0.8 threes over that stretch. However, his 40.0 percent shooting from the floor and 21.3 percent mark from beyond the arc highlight the areas the seventh overall pick in the 2023 Draft still needs to work on.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Fills stat sheet in loss Monday
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Coulibaly finished Monday's 130-108 loss to the Mavericks with 16 points (6-15 FG, 2-6 3Pt, 2-3 FT), four rebounds, five assists, two blocks and two steals over 29 minutes.
Coulibaly hasn't reached the 20-point mark since his 20-point game against the Hornets on Dec. 26, but he remains a reliable fantasy asset for the struggling Wizards. Aside from scoring in double digits in eight of his previous nine contests, he's also done a good job filling out the stat sheet in that stretch, giving him solid value across all formats. He's averaging 12.6 points, 4.2 rebounds, 3.0 assists, 1.2 steals and 0.8 blocks per game over that nine-game span.
Coulibaly closed with 17 points (7-15 FG, 1-5 3Pt, 2-2 FT), six rebounds, four assists, two blocks and one steal across 32 minutes during Tuesday's 111-88 loss to the Lakers.
The Wizards looked overmatched in this win, but Coulibaly delivered a solid showing across the board and filled the stat sheet. That's becoming customary for the second-year forward, who has improved by leaps and bounds this season compared to his rookie campaign. He's averaging 11.7 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.0 steals per game over his last six outings.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Modest results in loss
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Coulibaly totaled 13 points (4-9 FG, 0-3 3Pt, 5-6 FT), three rebounds, two assists and one steal over 36 minutes during Thursday's 130-123 loss to the Suns.
Coulibaly has been as streaky as any player in the NBA this season, but he's now strung together three straight performances in double-digit scoring figures after shooting a paltry 28.9 percent from the field over his prior five outings. The second-year wing has also recorded at least one steal or a block in eight of his last nine outings to help offset his shooting woes, but it's becoming clear the 2023 No. 7 overall pick remains a work in progress with the rebuilding Wizards. Coulibaly remains a solid source of defensive stats with the capability to contribute across the board, but fantasy managers will likely have to deal with some shaky nights offensively.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Returning to action Tuesday
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Coulibaly (illness) will play in Tuesday's game against Houston, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports.
Coulibaly missed the last two contests due to his illness, but he has been cleared to play and will be back in action Tuesday. He is averaging 12.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.8 blocks across 33.8 minutes this season.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Questionable to face Houston
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Coulibaly (illness) is listed as questionable for Tuesday's game against the Rockets.
Coulibaly is considered day-to-day due to a non-COVID illness, which has prevented him from playing in the Wizards' last two games. Kyshawn George and Corey Kispert have directly benefited from Coulibaly's absence in terms of playing time and increased usage on offense, though Johnny Davis and Anthony Gill could see some minutes off the bench if Coulibaly doesn't play Tuesday.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Won't play against NOLA
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Coulibaly (illness) has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Pelicans, Josh Robbins of The Athletic reports.
Coulibaly will miss his second straight game due to a non-COVID illness. He's considered day-to-day, and his next opportunity to play will be Tuesday against the Rockets. Kyshawn George and Corey Kispert should see an uptick in playing time off the Wizards' bench due to Coulibaly's absence.
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Wizards' Bilal Coulibaly: Listed as questionable
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Coulibaly (illness) is questionable for Sunday's game against the Pelicans.
Coulibaly was unable to play Friday against the Pelicans after leaving Wednesday's game versus the Bulls in the first quarter. He's day-to-day, however, and the Wizards may see how he feels Sunday morning before a decision is made on his status. Jordan Poole (hip) is also questionable Sunday.
