Listed at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, the 18-year-old Bilal Coulibaly is a prototypical small forward for the Washington Wizards due to his blend of size and all-around ability, specifically his prowess defensively and as a playmaker.

In fact, on the defensive end, Coulibaly was downright special. Consistently using his length, including a 7-foot-2 wingspan, Coulibaly's combination of physical tools and sheer effort allowed him to make a number of standout defensive plays.

Whether it was in transition or in the halfcourt, Coulibaly proved himself as a shot-blocker and multi-positional defender with the quickness to guard down the lineup and the strength to guard down. When given opportunities to run the pick-and-roll or simply make the right read with the ball in his hands, Coulibaly showed himself to have the right blend of ballhandling, court vision and passing prowess.

Leaving the 2023 Las Vegas Summer League tournament with averages of 12.3 points, 4.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and 2.3 blocks in 30.5 minutes per game on 40.5 percent shooting from the field and 18.2 percent from 3, it's easy to see that Coulibaly will need to work on his shooting ability. Coulibaly even needs work as a standstill shooter, as he only converted 68.4 percent of his free-throw attempts for a player that could get to the line quite a bit.

Frankly, and is often the case for young players, his most efficient scoring reps may come in transition early on. However, when considering his passing ability and that he's consistently capable of getting to the rim in halfcourt settings, Coulibaly still needs the ball in his hands.

Consequently, in order for Coulibaly to be at his best early on, the players the Wizards put around him are incredibly important.

Wizards' biggest Bilal Coulibaly concern after Summer League

Despite him being just 18-years-old and a late riser on the 2023 NBA Draft boards, Washington Wizards may very start Bilal Coulibaly by the end of his rookie season. In part because they selected him so high in the draft (No. 7 overall) and partially because they're in rebuild mode.

That would be best for Coulibaly, although it's far from a guarantee.

Projected Wizards starters

22-year-old forward Deni Avdija (the ninth overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft) and 24-year-old forward Corey Kispert (the 15th overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft) will likely duke it out in training camp and preseason to see who'll be starting at forward alongside Kyle Kuzma at the start of the season.

Looking at the rest of the projected starters, with the Wizards trading big man Kristaps Porzingis to the Boston Celtics this offseason, Daniel Gafford could at least be penciled in at center. 2022 No. 10 pick Johnny Davis had a solid Summer League showing, averaging 16.3 points per game while shooting 42.9 percent from 3-point range, and could start the season at shooting guard.

However, Kuzma, Tyus Jones and Jordan Poole — looking to redeem himself after a breakout 2021-22 campaign with the Golden State Warriors — are the only players that can be safely expected to start. Both at the beginning of the 2023-24 season and the end of it.

Consequently, there's a world where Coulibaly starts at small forward, especially if Avdija or Kispert were to underperform for a significant stretch.

The benefits of starting B-Coul

If Bilal Coulibaly does start for the Washington Wizards, be it at shooting guard or small forward, it could be best for his development. Playing alongside two established volume scorers in Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma would allow him to bring on his one-on-one scoring ability methodically, as he would consistently face teams third-best perimeter defender.

Playing beside multiple players who are also proven scoring threats also makes it easier to project a point-forward role for Coulibaly. As NBA offenses will always thrive off of basketball IQ and timely ball-movement, Coulibaly benefits players like Poole, Kuzma, and Daniel Gafford with his ability to feed them the ball while also taking some of the playmaking weight off of Tyus Jones's shoulders.

Yet, Jones is also the player best equipped to help Coulibaly get easy shot attempts.

Ultimately, Coulibaly should be starting alongside Jones, Poole, Kuzma, and Gafford by the end of the season, and playing him with that group as soon as possible should be the Wizards' biggest concern.