NBA Draft Prospect Profiles: Bilal Coulibaly, Metropolitans 92 (France)

While Victor Wembanyama is receiving all of the NBA Draft attention, he isn’t the only player from Metropolitans 92, a professional team in France, receiving some interest in the United States. Bilal Coulibaly, an 18-year-old wing, has been climbing draft boards the last few weeks and could see his name called in the lottery on Thursday. With the draft around the corner, we dissect his game and get you up to speed on his scouting report.

Career with Metropolitans 92

Despite being considered a lottery pick in this year’s draft, Coulibaly did not see much run during his time in France. He averaged just over 18 minutes per game across 27 appearances, where he accrued just 5.0 points and 3.1 rebounds per contest. What he did in those minutes is what stood out most. Coulibaly shot over 50 percent, acted as a massive asset on the defensive end, and showed signs of a workable jump shot, going 14-of-31 from beyond the arc on the season.

Strengths

Coulibaly could be the best wing defender in this draft class. With a 7’2″ wingspan, he constantly alters shots on his matchup or through help defense. Standing at 6’8″, his lateral quickness and overall speed are surprising, helping him stay in front of defenders and lead the break in transition. He utilizes his quickness to find lanes to the rim, where his wingspan and crafty finishing help him get to the bucket.

Weaknesses

The Frenchman’s offensive game is far from a finished product. He is still quite raw regarding his ballhandling and knack for scoring. He’ll need to improve on those to reach the league average as an offensive asset and become a regular starter. He also lacks the muscle to move from Europe to the NBA without getting bullied inside. He’ll need to bulk up and improve offensively if he wants to round out into a two-way star at the next level.

Overall NBA Projection

Coulibaly will undoubtedly be a project for whoever selects him in the lottery. He has a long way to go regarding scoring output, but his wingspan, defense, and game knowledge set him apart from other prospects. His defense and size could make him an immediate impact player who must learn to score on the fly. We view Coulibaly as a potential All-NBA Defensive Team player in the future with an offensive upside that remains untapped.

Projected Pick: Lottery

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