Washington Wizards star Bilal Coulibaly underwent a surgical procedure on Friday to repair a ligament tear in his right thumb, the team announced. Coulibaly’s injury, which was sustained while playing for France in FIBA Eurobasket, is “likely” to impact his availability for the start of the 2025-26 season, ESPN reported.
In the six games he played in during the event, Coulibaly, 21, averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds while shooting 41.2% from the field.
Coulibaly, the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is coming off a breakout sophomore campaign. He averaged 12.3 points. 5.0 rebounds and 3.4 assists while starting 59 games for Washington.
During his rookie season, Coulibaly, a teammate of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama on Metropolitans 92 in France, was slowly integrated into Washington’s rotation. He averaged 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assists while starting just 15 games in his 63 total appearances. In each of Coulibaly’s first two seasons with the team, the Wizards have failed to reach the 20-win mark.
What does this mean for the Wizards?
Losing Coulibaly for the start of the season would be a major blow for Washington. The Wizards have built one of the most interesting young cores in the league, headlined by Coulibaly, former No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr and rookies Tre Johnson and Will Riley. Former Rockets forward Cam Whitmore and two more former first-round picks, AJ Johnson and Kyshawn George, are also expected to be part of the rotation this season.
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Johnson, who was selected No. 6 overall this past summer,…
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