[ad_1]
French phenom Victor Wembanyama has been the 2023 NBA Draft’s consensus high decide for a number of years, however his Metropolitans 92 membership has one other prospect poised for a top-10 choice.
Throughout an look on Monday’s “SportsCenter,” ESPN’s Jonathan Givony named Wembanyama’s teammate, Bilal Coulibaly, as a participant who may very well be the steal of the draft.
Coulibaly has seen his inventory soar late within the pre-draft course of, with groups enamored by his bodily traits, which Givony likens to Brooklyn’s Mikal Bridges.
The 18-year-old wing stands 6-foot-8 and boasts a shocking 7-foot-2 wingspan that can enable him to protect a number of positions on the subsequent degree. Offensively, nonetheless, Coulibaly continues to be a piece in progress.
Though he averaged 11.3 factors whereas taking pictures a decent 53% from the sector within the common season, he was inconsistent through the playoffs as he shot 23.8% from three-point vary.
Givony talked about that Coulibaly has the potential to land within the high 10 on draft night time, and additional stories counsel that the newest he’ll be chosen is No. 14.
On a current dwell stream, Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman revealed that Coulibaly obtained a promise from an unnamed lottery workforce to be their choice. In his newest mock draft, Wasserman has Coulibaly heading to the Raptors at No. 13; maybe they’re the workforce in query.
Whereas Coulibaly’s intangibles and ability set make him a match on most rosters, the Utah Jazz reportedly have their eyes on the polarizing expertise, per NBA insider Marc Stein. Utah owns three choices within the first spherical (Nos. 9, 16 and 28), and the additional draft capital provides CEO Danny Ainge flexibility to make numerous revolutionary choices.
Stein famous that the Jazz may need to bundle the sixteenth and twenty eighth picks to maneuver up within the draft and purchase Baylor’s Keyonte George. If Ainge is aware of he can choose George, he could grow to be extra open to playing on Coulibaly’s potential at No. 9. Ainge has established himself as an outstanding expertise evaluator and has personally scouted Coulibaly in France throughout this draft cycle.
Taking part in alongside Wembanyama has propelled Coulibaly into the highlight, and it is potential that he would not even be thought-about a possible draft decide with out the chance. Nonetheless, now Coulibaly should show his capability and never his ties to the longer term first general choice is the explanation he belongs within the NBA.
The 2023 NBA Draft, hosted in Brooklyn, is scheduled for June 22.
[ad_2]
Source link
