3 player comparisons for Wizards draft pick Bilal Coulibaly

Derrick Jones Jr.

If Bilal Coulibaly failed to develop the way everyone in the Wizards organization hopes for, his floor probably looks like a Derrick Jones Jr-type of player.

Just like Coulibaly, Jones is a 6’6 forward with an impressively long wingspan and a wiry frame. He also came into the league as a bouncy, fluid athlete with a less-than-ideal jump shot.

Over the years, Jones made a name for himself as a solid wing defender who likes to play above the rim. He remains one of the best athletes and dunkers in the league but failed to improve his skill level offensively. He is an extremely limited offensive player except for rim-rocking attacks to the basket.

Coulibaly’s floor is also a good defender with no jump shot or scoring punch offensively. There probably is a role in the NBA for this type of player as Jones is a rotation-level player with the Chicago Bulls. However, it is not what you hope for when you draft someone with the 7th overall pick.

Coulibaly needs to work on his jump shot. Teams dare him to shoot and he needs to at least make them pay. He doesn’t need to be an elite shooter to be a starter-level wing but he needs to be respectable to become a two-way forward. His shooting mechanics are not bad, and considering he is already decent at ball-handling and passing for his position, there is no reason to think he can’t at least become an average shooter.

And if he does that, he will have a much better career than this worst-case scenario.