The Washington Wizards had a landmark day on Thursday, from start to finish. Not only did the organization release new renderings of upcoming renovations to Capital One Arena, but Bilal Coulibaly delivered one of the best dunks of the young NBA season in the 123-114 win over the Charlotte Hornets.
However, no. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr isn’t satisfied, via Monumental Sports Network’s Chase Hughes.
“It was pretty crazy. I thought he was gonna miss it, like I was getting ready to go get a board, but it was wild,” the French international said. “He jumped really high, it was very spectacular. I want to see more of that.”
It makes sense that Sarr doubted Coulibaly while he was in midair, as the latter Frenchman jumped as high as Michael Jordan. Coulibaly, though, emphatically finished the alley-oop after Jordan Poole tossed the lob.
While Sarr’s “want to see more” comment was light-hearted, it’s a good point to make. Thursday was the type of day the organization needed as it rebuilds with a new front office, coaching staff, and roster. From NBA commissioner Adam Silver announcing that future All-Star Games will be held in Washington, to Coulibaly’s viral highlight, and to winning its fourth game of the season, the day was a doozy in the best way possible. However, the Wizards must continue the momentum.
Outside of the dunk, Coulibaly posted a decent stat line of 14 points on 5-of-13 shooting, with seven rebounds and five assists. The second-year guard’s 2-of-7 clip from deep, though, leaves something to be desired, especially against a non-contending team like the Hornets.
Taking the good with the bad is what rebuilding is all about, though. While Sarr didn’t produce sexy highlights, for example, he delivered a well-rounded line of 19 points on 6-of-13 shooting (3-6 3Pt) with nine rebounds, five assists, and three blocks.
The blocks are par for the course with the seven-footer, but the efficient three-point shooting and assist numbers show that he’s growing in weaker areas of his game. He’s now shooting 37.8% from deep over his last 10 games, and it would be a revelation for Washington if he maintains that for the rest of the year.
While there’s still plenty of room to grow for both players, they deserve to celebrate whenever the trials and tribulations finally pay off in wins.
Bilal Coulibaly, Wizards vets encouraged rookies during slump
Thursday’s victory brought Washington to 4-21 on the year, a game and a half behind the New Orleans Pelicans (5-23) for the worst record in the NBA. While this season was always about development more than winning, it’s still hard to lose so much and stay invested, especially for young players.
Coulibaly, though, is in a unique position. The 20-year-old is still new himself, but he’s already become a mentor for the Wizards’ rookies, via Monumental Sports Network’s Bijan Todd.
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“We’re trying to talk to them a lot, me, JP, all the vets,” Coulibaly said after Washington’s 112-98 loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday.
“We’ve been through this last year. In five years we’re gonna look back and be like ‘Man it was tough,’ and we’re gonna laugh about it. Now, we’re just gonna stay with it. It’s tough, really, tough, but that’s how you get better.”
It’s one thing for veterans such as Poole, Malcolm Brogdon, and Jonas Valanciunas to take the young bucks under their wings, as they all have established track records and know everything there is to know about playing in the NBA.
Conversely, Coulibaly is still finding his way while also guiding Sarr, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George. Most second-year players wouldn’t have so much mentoring responsibility, but the fact that he’s able to produce on the court while also supporting three rookies through the toughest stretches imaginable is a good sign for the franchise.
“They’re mad because we’re losing a lot, and I get it, I’m mad too,” Coulibaly continued. “But we’re just not trying to show them that we’re mad, ’cause they gotta learn from us.”
Those frustrating moments are what makes days like Thursday so much sweeter. Building character during tough times isn’t just a cliche, it results in payoffs like glorious alley-oops and Sarr unexpectedly becoming a reliable three-point shooter so early in his career, despite being drafted as a defensive player.
Now, Washington must be consistent. The club has shown flashes recently, such as Thursday’s win, a hard-fought 115-105 loss to the 24-4 Cleveland Cavaliers on December 13th, and a 122-113 victory over the Denver Nuggets on the 7th. Once they deliver these types of performances in consecutive games, the Wizards will be in the best position they could’ve hoped for at this point.
