Bilal Coulibaly Set for Debut with Wizards Against Thunder

Oklahoma City, OK — Bilal Coulibaly, forward for the Washington Wizards, will make his regular season debut on Thursday against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Head coach Brian Keefe announced the news today, revealing that Coulibaly has fully recovered from surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, an injury he sustained while playing for the French national team at EuroBasket 2025.

Coulibaly was selected as the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft. He underwent surgery on September 12 and missed the entire preseason as well as the first four games of this regular season. The Wizards had a slow start, currently holding a record of 1-3.

The 6’8″ forward was a key player for the Wizards in the previous season, averaging 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, 3.4 assists, and 1.3 steals in 33.0 minutes per game across 59 outings. Although his shooting percentages dipped to 42.1% from the field and 28.1% from beyond the arc, he remains a promising two-way wing.

It’s uncertain whether Coulibaly will start on Thursday or come off the bench. The current starting five for the Wizards has struggled, posting a net rating of -7.2 across 69 minutes.

The Wizards also have important decisions to make before the upcoming team option deadline on Friday, including whether to pick up Coulibaly’s fourth-year option valued at $9.24 million. This decision is expected, given Coulibaly’s potential and talent.

Coulibaly’s return is viewed as a crucial development for the Wizards as they look to improve their early-season performance.