Washington Wizards star Bilal Coulibaly underwent surgery on Friday to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, the team announced. This injury, sustained while Coulibaly was playing for France in the FIBA Eurobasket, is “likely” to affect his availability for the start of the 2025-26 season, ESPN reported.
In the six Eurobasket games he participated in, the 21-year-old Coulibaly averaged 6.3 points and 4.3 rebounds, with a 41.2% field goal percentage.
Coulibaly, the 7th overall pick in the 2023 NBA Draft, is coming off a strong sophomore season where he averaged 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 59 starts for Washington.
During his rookie year, Coulibaly, who was a teammate of San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama at Metropolitans 92 in France, was gradually integrated into the Wizards` rotation. He posted averages of 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 1.7 assists, starting just 15 of his 63 appearances. In both of Coulibaly`s first two seasons, the Wizards failed to reach the 20-win mark.
What Does This Mean for the Wizards?
Losing Coulibaly for the start of the season would be a significant setback for Washington. The Wizards have assembled an intriguing young core, featuring Coulibaly, former No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr, and rookies Tre Johnson and Will Riley. Additionally, former Rockets forward Cam Whitmore and two other former first-round picks, AJ Johnson and Kyshawn George, are expected to be part of the rotation this season.
Tre Johnson, selected 6th overall this past summer, was considered among the top 3-point shooters in his draft class. In Summer League play in Las Vegas, he shot 14-for-24 (58.3%) from the field and 5-for-11 from beyond the arc. Johnson currently has the second-best odds (+850 per FanDuel Sportsbook) to win NBA Rookie of the Year, trailing only Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg, the No. 1 pick.
While Washington`s roster foundation is its youth, the Wizards also have two veterans poised for significant minutes this season: CJ McCollum and Khris Middleton. McCollum was acquired this summer in the trade that sent Jordan Poole to the New Orleans Pelicans, while Middleton joined Washington at last season`s trade deadline in the Kyle Kuzma deal.
Although Washington was not expected to contend for a playoff spot this season, the organization had hoped to show improvement after winning 18 games last season and 15 the year prior. The Wizards` odds to make the playoffs this season are +3000 according to FanDuel, which are the second-longest in the conference, surpassed only by the Brooklyn Nets (+3500).
