After three Summer League games, Bilal Coulibaly averages 10 points, 5 rebounds, 1.7 assists, 1.7 blocks and 0.7 assists in 30 minutes. The 7th choice of the last Draft notably scored a decisive shot against Boston, also placing a few counterattacks which impressed the audience.
As expected, the French mark above all the spirits by his overall activity, in particular on the defensive level. In attack, there is still work with success percentages (38% including 10% at 3-pointers) which means that the opponents will undoubtedly (and are already) skipping the shot of the 7th choice of the last Draft.
But for Landon Tatum, his Summer League coach, it’s the rookie’s ability to learn that scores.
“He’s a great kid” explained the technician. “He listens to everything we tell him. He’s also a guy who can take the information he’s given and, if he’s wrong, he’s instantly able to understand that he’s made a mistake. Being an NBA player requires being able to correct yourself, before the coaches have to do it, and he’s someone who does that already very well. »
Defense and Trust
Landon Tatum also appreciates the confidence of Bilal Coulibaly, who therefore did not hesitate to take this decisive shot against the Celtics at half distance, even if it is not really his strength at the moment.
“He told me he was a clutch player after putting that shot. I cannot contradict him. He has a lot of confidence, and I love that. Because every night, if you don’t trust yourself, you’re dead. So to see that he had that confidence in that moment, in that situation, as the clock ticked…”
Rather used without the ball in the first two games, the Frenchman was more placed as a leader in the third meeting, against Spurs. With good and less good, but always with some certainties.
“I think he handled the lead pretty well” assured Landon Tatum after the match against San Antonio. “He had the ball in hand quite a bit and he did a good job of attacking and creating for others. We had to see that aspect of his game, but he also defended. And that’s what I love most about him. Even if we put the ball in his hands in attack, he will not be content to play on one side of the field.
