Ranking the 5 riskiest boom-or-bust prospects in the 2023 NBA draft

Risky Boom-or-Bust Prospect #2: Bilal Coulibaly, Metropolitans 92

Every year, there’s a prospect that rises late in the draft cycle and shocks most by getting drafted in the lottery. In past years that’s been Jalen Williams, Josh Primo, Patrick Williams, and Rui Hachimura. Another player is currently on that same trajectory, as just a few weeks ago, few were mentioning Bilal Coulibaly as a potential lottery selection.

Now, more and more draft analysts in the know are mocking him in the later lottery range. Coulibaly has earned this hype by playing an impactful role on the wing for Metropolitans 92 on the way to the French league finals. After playing his best ball for most of the year at the U21 level, Coulibaly is now playing just as well as Victor Wembanyama in playoff games against Euroleague teams:

Coulibaly’s appeal is obvious when you watch him: he’s ridiculously long, athletic, and has a good feel for making the right play. He’s a fierce but disciplined defender who looks like the prototypical wing that NBA teams crave. With the right training, he could evolve into a star at the most important position in the league.

The big “if” for Coulibaly is whether the flashes are real. If he’s not a solid defender at the next level, he isn’t a good enough shooter, ball-handler, or passer to justify many minutes. The lack of clear NBA-level skills sticks out as a reason that he could bust and find himself in unenviable territory in the coming years.