The Washington Wizards expect a lot out of Bilal Coulibaly.

That seems like a bold proclamation for a 21-year-old, third-year player, but the reason is clear.

When brand-new general manager Will Dawkins traded up one spot to grab Coulibaly in the 2023 draft, the vision was put in place. The Wizards envisioned a young French kid, who would develop into a defensive force.

He's not just a force. He can shutdown the league's top players on any given night.

Coulibaly's 3 steal performance against two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo in the Wizards' latest win over the Milwaukee Bucks encapsulates the dynamic he brings.

"It was easy to do my thing," Coulibaly said. "I had to be really physical."

Antetokounmpo put up 26 points, but it came with plenty of frustration. Coulibaly pressed, and pressed again, forcing Antetokounmpo into tough shots all night.

“Basically, this morning (at shootaround) they just told me to do whatever I wanted, just stop him. So, I did whatever I wanted," Coulibaly said after the game.

An early block on Antetokounmpo notched number 100 in Coulibaly's career, making him the fourth player in franchise history to reach the mark at age 21 or younger.

It's almost unheard of that an individual effort can shut down Antetokounmpo. Last night was a rare example, but this is what Coulibaly's capable of.  His strip leading to an and-one, one-handed slam, serves as an exclamation point on a night filled with irritation for Antetokounmpo.

  "His imprint on the game, all over the place defensively ... made the big play late, but he did it from the very beginning," Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said.

Bucks' head coach Doc Rivers said Coulibaly's effort, length and strength makes him into a tough defender. Rivers leaves Washington impressed by its young core of players.

"They are a young team that has no fear," River said. "They have no pressure on them with their record, so they just come out playing. If a team like that gets close, they'll beat you."

Coulibaly's defensive prowess is a glowing bright spot of a bad Washington defense, who ranks dead last in the NBA with a 122.5 defensive rating.

Coulibaly, when healthy, has never ducked the challenge of guarding opposing teams top option. Last week, he held  Atlanta's Jalen Johnson, a 23 point per game scorer, to a season-low seven points.

Offensively, Coulibaly is still a work in progress. He had his share of struggles last night on that end, including an 0/5 start from the field. Coulibaly finished 3/9 total and 1/4 from three.

Ideally, Washington would love for Coulibaly to mold into a bonafide three-and-defense option. The jumper hasn't reached that level yet. He shoots 28% from three this season.

The Wizards want to see him take the next step on offense, but they're willing to be patient. Dawkins has said in numerous interviews Coulibaly is still a few years away from reaching his prime.

Regardless of his ceiling offensively, his impact defending the wing is undeniable. On a team blossoming with young scoring talent such as Alex Sarr, Tre Johnson, Kyshawn George, and potentially another top draft choice this summer, Coulibaly's defense can morph into one of Washington's top assets.

Another caveat for Coulibaly is health. Season-ending injuries cut his first two years short, and he's missed 8 games this year. 

The Wizards are back on the road tonight, where they'll take on the Philadelphia 76ers at 7:00 p.m..Coulibaly did not play in Washington's first matchup against Philadelphia on October 28th.