The Washington Wizards underwent some major changes this offseason. Not only did they clear house on their entire front office and bring in new leadership, but Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis were both traded away. Another rebuild has begun in our nation's capital with Kyle Kuzma and Jordan Poole as the veteran leaders of this team.
Both players have won a title and they know what it takes to win at the highest level possible. Despite Poole being just 24 years old and Kuzma being 28, they are two of the more experienced players on Washington's roster. This is why the Wizards are turning to them to lead this upcoming season.
As a result, they will both be mentors for Bilal Coulibaly, the Wizards' first-round draft pick from the summer. Coulibaly ended up being the biggest riser in the 2023 NBA Draft and he emerged as Washington's main target with the eighth overall pick.
Jordan Poole's relationship with Bilal Coulibaly
Due to other teams showing interest in him, the Wizards decided to move up one spot to seventh overall in order to secure him as their wing of the future. Just 19 years old, the French forward has a chance to be a real diamond in the rough, similar to how Poole was a high-potential talent when he first entered the league with the Warriors.
With the right guidance and teachers, Coulibaly could become the next big thing in the nation's capital.
“There will be a lot of ups, a lot of downs, a lot of growth,” Poole recent said of Coulibaly, per The Athletic's Josh Robbins. “But he played pro ball already (in France). I think that’s such a big part in terms of development, in terms of what you’re being taught, in terms of how to approach the game, pregame, postgame, recovery, etc. So we know that he’s high level; he knows that he’s high level.
“We’re just going to continue to work with him and he’s talented. (He has) a bright future.”
Poole has taken Coulibaly under his wing, as the new Wizard moved his locker closer to that of the rookie's. Learning from those who have found success is never a bad idea, which is why Poole is wanting to share the lessons he has learned over his short time in the league with Coulibaly, much like Stephen Curry and Klay Thompson did with him.
Bilal Coulibaly's preseason debut
The Wizards recently played their first preseason game on Tuesday against Cairns Taipans, an Australian basketball team. Behind 22 points from Kuzma and 18 points from Poole, Washington came away with a strong 145-82 victory. Playing in his first game since Summer League, Coulibaly looked comfortable and showed a lot of good things on the court, as Bilal recorded five points, six rebounds, three assists, three steals and a block in 20 total minutes.
Defensively, Coulibaly could really be a handful to deal with early on in his career because of his quickness and length. This is what made him standout during the pre-draft process and head coach Wes Unseld Jr. was pleased with the way his rookie played in the team's first preseason game.
“He knows if he can guard at an elite-level, there's minutes,” Unseld told reporters on Wednesday. “Let the offense come and stay aggressive, which he showed at times in the open floor. But do your work on the defensive end and let that generate offense for you… He's played professionally at a young age and has been around a bit. There's a level of composure and poise, which I think is unique and really encouraging”
Patience is the one word that comes to mind when discussing the Wizards' rookie, especially since he is so young and unpolished. The experiences he has playing overseas in France will obviously help him take that next step in his career with Washington, but it is going to take a lot of time and development for Coulibaly to reach his full potential.
The Wizards know this, which is why they are not rushing anything with him and will let the flow of the game dictate his minutes game after game.
Coulibaly is looking to learn as much as possible during his first season in the league. He's talked about using his prior experiences to aid in his development, but having a guy like Poole in his corner can help set the example for how to find success in the NBA.
“I'm more of a visual learner,” Coulibaly said after Tuesday's game. “With Jordan, he be telling me things that he's doing and he moves his hands (at the same time) because he knows that's the best way for me to learn… He's just trying to make me feel good. He told me when he was a rookie, he wasn't always asking questions and sometimes he was lost, so he just doesn't want me to be like that. He just says, ‘whatever question you got, there's no stupid question, so ask them.'”
Not only Poole, but everyone within the Wizards organization has been looking to help their rookie get acclimated to life in the NBA and life outside of France. Coming overseas to the United States is a big adjustment for any 19 year old to make, which is why Coulibaly is truly in one of the best situations he can be in to find success.
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