Bilal Coulibaly's Offensive Struggles with Wizards Remain Glaring

The Washington Wizards entered the regular season with multiple questions along the roster that the regular season would ultimately address, but the progression of Bilal Coulibaly in a pivotal fourth season posed a question that loomed large dating back to the offseason.

Initially one of two players from the 2025-26 regular season roster who entered the offseason eligible for a rookie-scale extension, the Oct. 19 deadline came and went with no deal in place. With a chance to bet on himself, the start of the 2026-27 regular season hasn't fared as expected.

Bench scoring has proven to be a concern with the rest of the rotation averaging over 26 points per game, ranked ahead of only the Philadelphia 76ers and Sacramento Kings. Coulibaly isn't alone given Tre Johnson has posted double figures scoring in consecutive games, while Bub Carrington joins Kyshawn George as the only Wizards shooting at least 40% from three point through 13 games, but Coulibaly has been part of the struggles.

Coulibaly ranks not only last on the Wizards' roster in three point percentage to begin the regular season, but ahead of only Hawks guard Dyson Daniels, Magic guard Jalen Suggs and Sixers center Joel Embiid across all NBA players averaging at least 26 minutes per game. That also includes shooting just 1-of-15 from deep in November, while Coulibaly's 103.7 offensive rating also ranks as the 12th-worst across all NBA players with the same minutes threshold, while his negative-11.1 net rating ranks among the NBA's worst.

The defensive pedigree that the French wing offers has always been known with Coulibaly up to three blocks and two steals over his last two games, currently averaging at least one block for the second straight season and at least one steal for the third straight season. Though he is shooting 70% from inside the arc, reason why he's shooting 46.4% from the field which would set a new career high, the concern for Coulibaly has always been whether he can expand his offensive arsenal and showcase himself as a threat inside and out within the halfcourt offense. Coulibaly didn't enter the regular season as an expected top option on an offense with a roster littered with proven pieces, but after highlighting his work with a shooting specialist dating back to last season's All Star break, the opening stretch adds to the questions that head coach Brian Keefe is tasked with answering amid the slow start.

Whether Coulibaly and the Wizards are able to find answers ahead of two home games against the Houston Rockets and Memphis Grizzlies, a combined 16-7 to open 2026-27, to end the ongoing six game losing streak remains the question. Yet big picture, Coulibaly's start adds question ahead of the chance to enter restricted free agency next offseason.