Bilal Coulibaly
Bilal Coulibaly is a French professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards in the NBA. He is a 6-foot-7 shooting guard who played for Metropolitans 92 in France before being drafted seventh overall in 2023 by the Indiana Pacers. His rights were traded to the Wizards, and he signed with Washington on July 2, 2023.
Early life
Coulibaly was born in Saint-Cloud, near Paris, and grew up in Courbevoie. He started playing basketball at age eight with Courbevoie Sport Basket and later joined Levallois Sporting Club. He is of Malian descent.
Professional career in France
He began his professional career with Metropolitans 92 in France, playing in the under-21 league (LNB Espoirs) in 2021 and moving up to the senior team in 2022–23, alongside future NBA players like Victor Wembanyama.
NBA career
The Pacers drafted him 7th in 2023, and his rights were traded to the Wizards for future second-round picks and Jarace Walker’s rights. He joined Washington for the 2023 NBA Summer League and signed with the team in July 2023. He made his NBA debut in October 2023 and became the youngest Wizards starter later that month. He recorded his first double-double in December 2023. He missed the rest of the 2023–24 season due to a right wrist fracture.
In the 2024–25 season, Coulibaly started 59 games and averaged about 12.3 points, five rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game. In March 2025, he suffered a right hamstring strain and missed the remainder of the season. In September 2025, it was announced that he underwent surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb.
National team
Coulibaly has played for France, including the under-18 team at the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship. He also played for the national team at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where France won the silver medal.
This page was last edited on 2 February 2026, at 13:24 (CET).