The Washington Wizards ended the 2023 NBA Draft with two rookies.

The Wizards needed to address their need at point guard as they went into the offseason. They traded for guard Tyus Jones, forward Danilo Gallinari, center Mike Muscala and the No. 35 pick in the NBA Draft in the deal that sent forward Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics.

“Tyus, Danilo and Mike are talented players accustomed to winning,” Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins said in a Friday release.  “They bring professionalism, high basketball intelligence, and a team-first mentality.  We are delighted they are Wizards.”

Washington shored up its options at the two as it traded guard Chris Paul to the Golden State Warriors for guard Jordan Poole, guard Ryan Rollins, a 2027 second-round pick and a protected first-round selection in 2030. As they entered the draft, the Wizards needed to round out their roster with young talent to help usher in a new era of Washington basketball.

Who did the Wizards take with their selections in the 2023 NBA Draft?

Bilal Coulibaly

The Wizards rolled the dice on Coulibaly, a 6-foot-6-inch forward from French club Metropolitans 92, with their first selection in the 2023 NBA draft.

Washington would trade for the No. 7 spot from the Indiana Pacers on draft night. It would send the eighth pick and two second-rounders to acquire the seventh pick.

Coulibaly averaged five points, 3.1 rebounds and 0.8 assists per game in 27 games played in LNB Pro A play, according to Basketball Reference. He played alongside forward Victor Wembanyama, who was selected by the San Antonio Spurs with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Coulibaly highlighted his defense and his professional experience in an April interview with ESPN NBA Draft analyst Jonathan Givony.

“My defensive abilities allowed me to get on the court and impact the team in a positive way,” Coulibaly said, via Givony. “I credit being part of the professional group early on, being integrated quickly into the group and having a coach as great as Vincent Collet guide me. My confidence grew as opportunities came.”

He said he got better physically and technically in his April interview with Givony.

“I'm focusing on my jump shot, but really I work on everything to be as complete a player as I can,” Coulibaly said, via ESPN. “The key has been just being confident and implementing in games what I learn in practice.”

Coulibaly could be a solid fit early on for a Wizards squad that had a defensive rating, or “the number of points allowed per 100 possessions by a team,” of 114.9, according to NBA.com. The figure put them at 21st in the NBA behind the Charlotte Hornets, New York Knicks and Orlando Magic.

Tristan Vukcevic

The Wizards took Vukcevic, a 7-foot center from KK Partizan NIS, with the 42nd pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Vukcevic played in 22 games in the Adriatic Basketball Association last year, averaging 8.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and one assist per game. He earned 1.2 points, 1.2 rebounds and 0.5 assists in 13 games played at the Euroleague level during the 2022-23 season. Vukcevic won the ABA championship shortly before he was drafted by the Wizards, according to a Friday article from NBA.com.

“I gave him a call,” said Wizards General Manager Will Dawkins, via NBA.com. “They were still celebrating. And he was just filled with emotion, filled with joy, and happy to be selected and be a Washington Wizard.”

Vukcevic credited players like Real Madrid forward Felipe Reyes for helping him through his EuroLeague career in an October interview.

“From the jump, he was always helping me (in Madrid)”, Vukcevic said, via EuroLeagueBasketball.net. “When I was at Olympiacos academy, you always went and watched him. I was hoping to play against him, but unfortunately, he retired.”

Two centers, Daniel Gafford and Mike Muscala, will be under contract for the Wizards for the 2023-24 season, according to sports contract and salaries website Spotrac. Gafford, a former second-round pick by the Chicago Bulls, played in 78 games and started in 47 for Washington last season.

Vukcevic's international experience and shooting ability can make him a valued part of the Wizards' roster sooner rather than later. Washington ended last season with a 35.6% average from the 3-point line, putting them at 18th in the NBA.

“(Vukcevic) has played internationally. I feel like I've watched him for a long time now, since he was a youth as well,” Dawkins said, via NBA.com. “With him — seven feet, skilled, can pass, can shoot. He's played in ACB. He's played in EuroLeague games. (Vukcevic and Bilal Coulibaly) are just high-level competitors and guys that know how to play basketball, and we're excited to be able to have them in the Wizards' program.”