Teammates two weeks ago during the Rising Stars Challenge, Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly could find themselves in the same context next season. And why not, in the future, during the All-Star Game?
If there is little doubt that the first will very quickly invite himself to the “big ones” match, the second does not lack ambitions in relation to this meeting either. “ My next goals? I would say that 'Rising Stars' was cool. But I will try to come back next year as an All-Star, for sure. Next year, collectively, we will improve, we will win more matches and we will participate in the playoffs “, displays, full of confidence, the Frenchman at Sportskeeda.
A vast program both for him and for the Wizards, recently “overtaken” in the standings by the Pistons as the worst team in the East and even in the league. With 14 defeats in a row, the series in progress, the men of the capital have a disastrous record of 9 victories for 51 defeats.
On a personal level, the rookie began to play a series of matches as a starter before injuring his pelvis during a dunk attempt against the Cavs, A week ago.
No longer feel the “rookie wall”
According to him, to become an All-Star, “ you have to work on your game. Spend your time in the gym. Take care of your body above all. That's the most important thing. We only have one body, so we have to take care of it. Then you have to work. I try to work as much as possible. But at the same time, I try to take care of my body with my personal trainer and my physiotherapist. »
Work, show your work ethic », to the point of no longer feeling the effects of a well-known phenomenon among young players. “ I've sometimes been told that between December and January, when you're a rookie, you can feel tired and everything else. Some call this the 'rookie wall'. So I will continue to work so as not to feel it », he announces.
He himself experienced a statistical slowdown. While he averaged 9 points at 53% success in the months of November and December, the 19-year-old averaged 7 points in February, for only 34%. A production that will need to at least double in the future to hope to aim for the All-Star game. One thing is certain, there is no shortage of time to achieve such objectives.
| Bilal Coulibaly | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2023-24 | W.A.S. | 56 | 27 | 44.2 | 35.7 | 68.2 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 8.2 |
| Total | 56 | 27 | 44.2 | 35.7 | 68.2 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 4.0 | 1.7 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 1.4 | 0.8 | 8.2 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
