The Washington Wizards have finally decided to embrace a rebuild this offseason, which has made their 2023 NBA Summer League activity all the more exciting. One of the players with a lot of eyes on him right now is Bilal Coulibaly, who Washington selected with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft.

Coulibaly has made the jump to the NBA after spending a short amount of time with Metropolitans 92 in France's top basketball league, coincidentally making him a teammate of the top overall pick in the 2023 draft in Victor Wembanyama. Coulibaly's numbers with the senior team aren't all that exciting (5 PPG, 3.1 RPG, 0.8 APG, 53.2 FG%), but he showcased his promise with the organization's under-21 team when he averaged 21.9 points per game last season.

Coulibaly is now making a huge leap to the NBA, and as the seventh overall pick, it's clear that he has some expectations surrounding him. However, Coulibaly is only going to turn 19 at the end of July, so it's clear he still has a lot of room to grow as a player. Coulibaly has now played in his first two Summer League games for the Wizards, so let's look at two quick reactions from what he has shown us so far.

2. Bilal Coulibaly has the makings of an elite defensive player

While Coulibaly's 21.9 points per game with the under-21 Metropolitans squad is going to catch everyone's attention, it's also worth noting that he was an outstanding defensive presence for them as well. Coulibaly was averaging 2.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, immediately highlighting his potential to become a defensive stud in the NBA.

Coulibaly's defense hasn't been on full display early on, but it's clear that he could end up being one of the top defensive players in the league if he can develop properly. Coulibaly hasn't been stealing the ball like he was doing over in France, but he's racked up a pair of blocks through his first two contests, and has shown the ability to guard multiple positions on the floor, which is a huge plus.

Coulibaly is also still growing when it comes to his height (depending on where you look, his height falls somewhere between 6'5 and 6'8) which only adds to his allure. The 18-year old Frenchman has tons of room to grow, but it's clear that his defense is already solid, and he could have All-NBA defense written all over him.

1. Bilal Coulibaly is going to need a lot of time to develop on the offensive side of the ball

Of course, if Coulibaly wants to stay on the court and impact games as a defender, he's going to need to find a way to figure things out on offense. Coulibaly showed he can be an elite scorer in France, but making the jump to the NBA is going to be a lot easier said than done, especially given how little time he spent with Metropolitans senior team.

It's only two games of Summer League action, but Coulibaly's offensive numbers have not been good in the early going (10 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 0.5 APG, 37.5 FG%). He's not hitting many of his jump shots (he hasn't hit a three-point shot yet) and he isn't enough of a playmaker to make contributions elsewhere when his shot isn't falling.

It's a bit concerning to see Coulibaly struggle early on, but he's an incredibly raw player on both sides of the ball. Developing the youngster out of France was always going to take some time, and it may be a while before Coulibaly truly finds his footing in the league. It's going to take time, but if the Wizards stick with him, Coulibaly could end up becoming a star in this league.