WASHINGTON — In a painful season that has included the dismissal of a head coach and a 16-game dropping streak, the rebuilding Washington Wizards have suffered what arguably is their cruelest blow but.
Medical testing revealed Monday that prized rookie Bilal Coulibaly has a fracture in his proper wrist that can drive the 19-year-old wing to take a seat out the Wizards’ 14 remaining regular-season video games, a workforce spokesman mentioned, including that Coulibaly is not going to bear surgical procedure.
Coulibaly suffered the fracture Saturday evening throughout Washington’s loss in Chicago, workforce officers mentioned. The workforce initially referred to as the harm a contusion, and Coulibaly wore a brace over his wrist Sunday as he sat out the Wizards’ defeat at dwelling to the Boston Celtics.
Coulibaly appeared in 63 video games, beginning 15 of them, with 14 of these begins coming since Jan. 31. Whereas his counting stats of 8.4 factors, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists per sport might seem unimpressive at first look, these numbers don’t inform the complete story of his season or his development.
Wizards coaches typically deployed Coulibaly to protect opponents’ finest perimeter scorers, giving the 6-foot-8 lottery choose essential expertise defending towards a large swath of gamers and taking part in kinds.
Coulibaly ranks fifth amongst all NBA rookies in minutes per sport, at 27.2, trailing solely Charlotte’s Brandon Miller, Oklahoma Metropolis’s Chet Holmgren, Miami’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and San Antonio’s Victor Wembanyama.
“I believe Bilal has actually been rising,” Wizards interim coach Brian Keefe mentioned Saturday. “You’ll be able to see it every sport. … I believe we’re seeing development every sport now that he’s been a starter, so I’ve been actually pleased with Bilal.”
What’s the influence of Coulibaly lacking the remainder of the season?
Workforce executives have been thrilled that Coulibaly has recorded important taking part in time. However despite the fact that Coulibaly has logged numerous minutes, workforce officers had been trying ahead to seeing Coulibaly proceed to develop throughout Washington’s remaining video games, including extra experience on the defensive finish and presumably gaining extra repetitions as a playmaker if, or when, a few of the Wizards’ extra skilled gamers sit out video games down the stretch.
Coulibaly’s rookie season has certainly gone very effectively — significantly better than the essential statistical measurements point out. Nevertheless it’s additionally essential to keep in mind that he entered this season with comparatively restricted expertise going through senior-level competitors. So despite the fact that Coulibaly performed 1,715 minutes as a rookie, workforce officers had been excited in regards to the growth alternatives that the ultimate weeks of the season would have supplied.
Ultimately, although, the Wizards are taking part in the lengthy sport with Coulibaly. Having simply began what might be an extended rebuild, they’ll afford to be affected person. They’ll proceed to assist him add to his evolving sport piece by piece.
(Photograph of Bilal Coulibaly and Jordan Clarkson: Geoff Burke / USA In the present day)
