Jordan Poole Praises Bilal Coulibaly as “an extremely elite defender”

The Washington Wizards ended their six-game losing streak on Monday night, with one of their promising young players leading the way. Bilal Coulibaly delivered one of his best performances of the season in Washington’s 107-99 victory over the Brooklyn Nets, finishing with 20 points (7-14 FG, 3-4 3PT), five rebounds, two assists, and one steal in 30 minutes of action.

“Yeah, I’m a big fan of BC—I think everyone knows that,” the former NBA champion said with a smile after the game. “His growth over these two years has been incredible. He’s an elite defender, always guarding the best player, which makes it even more impressive that he stays aggressive on offense. He’s still learning and getting comfortable with his game, but he’s a smart player and is starting to see the game in a new way.”

Being called “extremely elite” is high praise, but it’s well deserved given where Bilal Coulibaly is in his career. As a second-year guard, he already takes on the challenge of guarding the NBA’s top perimeter players every night, a strong sign of his potential. His defensive impact is evident—according to NBA Advanced Stats, he has limited Trae Young to 16 points on 5-28 shooting with 10 turnovers across four matchups, held Jayson Tatum to 16 points on 7-20 shooting in three games, and kept Steph Curry to 17 points on 7-18 shooting in two meetings.

Against the Nets (21-36), Bilal Coulibaly’s offensive performance was the real highlight. The French guard led the team in shot attempts and three-point percentage, a notable feat given his struggles with scoring consistency this season. He started strong, hitting his first three shots from beyond the arc in the opening quarter, and later made a crucial driving layup with 3:12 remaining to put the Wizards ahead 98-97—a lead they never gave up.

“It’s great to see him stay aggressive and build his confidence,” Jordan Poole said. “When he’s on the floor with the right group, we’re all reinforcing that confidence. We need him to attack, take shots, make stops, and create plays if we want to be a successful team.”

This season, Coulibaly is averaging 12.3 points on 41.6% shooting (27.4% from three), a slight dip from his rookie numbers of 43.5% shooting and 34.6% from deep. While those stats don’t immediately stand out, his defensive prowess paired with Monday’s scoring display suggests he could become a serious two-way threat.

Before the game, Washington head coach Brian Keefe emphasized that defense should remain Coulibaly’s primary focus but welcomed his offensive assertiveness when the opportunity arises. In a fitting response, the 2023 No. 7 overall pick delivered one of his most aggressive scoring performances of the season.