The Washington Wizards used some of the draft capital they’ve acquired in recent deals to move up one spot in the 2023 NBA Draft and secure the player they wanted.
In the actual draft, the Pacers selected French forward Balil Coulibaly at No. 7, and then the Wizards selected Houston forward Jarace Walker at No. 8; however, the two teams are swapping those picks, with Washington sending two 2028 second-round picks – their own, and one acquired from Phoenix in the Bradley Beal trade – to Indiana.
Coulibaly, who turns 19 next month, was a teammate of No. 1 overall pick Victor Wembanyama in the Metropolitans 92 organization in France, and he averaged 21.9 points, 2.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game in LNB Espoirs as part of the U21 team last season.
He also played for France in the 2022 FIBA U18 European Championship, averaging 7.7 points, 3.9 rebounds, and one assist over seven games as France finished fifth.
Follow Lou DiPietro on Twitter: @LouDiPietroWFAN
Keep up with 106.7 The Fan via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
Keep up with 980 The Team via:
Audacy App | Online Stream | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram