OKLAHOMA CITY — Bilal Coulibaly waited 234 long days to play in an NBA game again.
When he finally returned, making his season debut Thursday night, he once again reminded the Washington Wizards why they envision him as such a big part of their future.
He blocked shots. He sped down the lane for a spectacular dunk. He sank a pair of 3s.
It was the kind of do-it-all performance the Wizards have already seen this season from two other youngsters, Kyshawn George and Alex Sarr, and hope to see more of from Coulibaly in the months to come.
It didn’t matter much that they lost to the Oklahoma City Thunder 127-108. What mattered more was that the Wizards are whole again and that Coulibaly appeared capable of a breakout year in his third NBA season.
He needed only 24 minutes of playing time to produce 16 efficient points, eight rebounds, four assists and three blocks, often in the form of explosive plays.
“I’ve worked too much to be passive and all that,” Coulibaly said afterward. “I’m just trying to be as active as possible this year. Every possession, everybody’s got to feel me. I think it will be a really good step up.”
Midway through the first quarter, Coulibaly backpedaled as Oklahoma City’s Aaron Wiggins dribbled toward the hoop. When Wiggins elevated for a layup, Coulibaly sprang off the court and swatted the basketball emphatically.
Midway through the third quarter, Coulibaly collected a defensive rebound at the free-throw line and dribbled upcourt. As Wiggins waited to confront him at the top of the opposite 3-point arc, Coulibaly unleashed a crossover to speed past Wiggins and end the sequence with a rim-rattling dunk.
A frequent criticism of Coulibaly, a 6-foot-8 wing, centers on his jump shot and overall offensive skill. However, on Thursday, he sank two of the seven 3-pointers he attempted and converted both of his free throws.
“He gets better every year,” said Corey Kispert, who has been Coulibaly’s teammate since the Wizards brought aboard Coulibaly in a draft-night trade in 2023. “It’s not a surprise to any of us how he looked tonight and probably how he felt. He’s a real, real player. The jumper looked good. He clearly worked in the offseason. It’s good to see him out on the floor.”
Coulibaly last played in an NBA game on March 10, when he strained his right hamstring in Toronto. Over the summer, while playing for France in EuroBasket, he suffered a torn ligament in his right thumb, an injury that required corrective surgery in mid-September. He had spent the last few weeks rehabbing and working on his cardio to stay fit. He now plays with a protective wrap that encircles his right thumb and palm.
Coach Brian Keefe put Coulibaly in the Wizards’ starting lineup and moved guard Bub Carrington to the bench. Team officials said the goal is to build a defensive-oriented team, and Coulibaly immediately slotted back into his customary role as the primary defender against an opponent’s best playmaker.
With Coulibaly alongside CJ McCollum, George, Khris Middleton and Sarr, Washington trotted out a starting five with an average height a shade above 6 foot 7, which, according to the Wizards, ranks in the 80th percentile in height among all NBA lineups since the start of the 2023-24 season.
Coulibaly, George, Middleton and Sarr can switch onto most offensive players, which should, in theory, keep Washington out of defensive rotations.
Meanwhile, on offense, George is expected to amass more possessions as a primary ballhandler with his fellow starters.
“It gives us that defensive presence, that size,” Keefe said. “It gives Bub an opportunity to run the second unit and really push the pace. I thought the second unit was really good tonight. They gave us some really good stretches in both halves.
“Things are fluid with our team. Things will change over the year. But we wanted to see what that looked like, and we’ll probably stay that way for a little bit.”
General manager Will Dawkins said before training camp that team officials hoped that at least one of their young players would make clear jumps during the season. George and Sarr have already shown positive signs, with George scoring a career-high 34 points in a victory last Friday in Dallas and Sarr providing a 31-point, 11-rebound, five-assist, two-block performance Tuesday in an overtime loss to Philadelphia.
Coulibaly, 21, needs to make strides, too. Although he has already established himself as Washington’s best perimeter defender, his offense has been erratic. Team executives have always said that, given his experience level, Coulibaly would need time to develop and have pledged to give him that time. While this is not a make-or-break season for him, it is an important season.
No one expects that consistency immediately, not after such a long layoff between NBA games. However, he will once again have a long runway to prove himself.
In a best-case scenario, Coulibaly, George and Sarr will grow into high-level two-way players, with rookie sharpshooter Tre Johnson developing into a consistent scorer and solid defender, and Carrington emerging as a versatile combo guard.
Keefe has told Coulibaly, George and Sarr that they can become the backbone of a top defense.
“He thinks we are guys that can really defend and be on top of the league at some point,” Coulibaly said.
On Thursday, even in a defeat, Coulibaly provided hope that Keefe’s vision one day could become a reality.
