It’s one thing to talk about developing young players, but seeing the work come to fruition gives the Washington Wizards hope. Second-year guard Bilal Coulibaly has been inconsistent offensively this season, but he added another quality outing to his resume with 16 points (7-9 FG, 0-2 3 PT) and three assists across 35 minutes in the 129-121 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers on Wednesday night.
Corey Kispert raved about the two-time Rising Star after the game.
Corey Kispert said that he “absolutely” still has confidence in his ability to attack the basket despite shooting 1-7 from 2-point range tonight. He made up for it with a 5-6 clip from deep, totaling 20 points.
He also said that Coulibaly will be a “force for years to come.” pic.twitter.com/BBB14EumoF
— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) February 27, 2025
“He’s a problem getting downhill. He’s super efficient in the paint, he makes the right decision, he doesn’t force it too much, and he’s just a super gifted athlete,” the fourth-year veteran said. “He works a ton on his jump shot, I see it every day, and we have confidence in him to knock those down when he gets ’em.”
Coulibaly, who added two rebounds, two steals, and one block, has made a bigger impact defensively thus far in his career. The 2023 No. 7 overall pick may be turning a corner on the opposite end, though, as he’s now shot at least 50-percent from the field in five of his last 10 outings. For reference, he’s averaging 12.5 points per game on 42.3-percent shooting this season.
Coulibaly is also shooting 36.6-percent from deep in February, just under his 38.8-percent January clip. Those are both improvements on his season average of 28-percent, and his career mark of 31.3.
“It’s kind of the inverse of me right now, man,” Kispert continued. “When he starts knocking ’em down from the outside at a really high rate, which we have the faith in him to do, you’re gonna see him put together big night after big night, and he’s gonna be a force in this league for years to come.”
Media training teaches professional athletes to always put a nice spin on things, but these aren’t words to take lightly from the longest-tenured Wizard. The Gonzaga alum has seen plenty of players come and go since Washington (10-48) drafted him No. 15 overall in 2021, and he doesn’t call just anybody a “force.”
If Coulibaly can keep mixing his perimeter defense with his newfound shooting efficiency, the Wizards may have a stud on their hands.
Corey Kispert, Richaun Holmes chase growth with Wizards
Kispert’s “inverse” comment referred to his struggles with finishing inside as a long-range specialist, while Coulibaly has the opposite issue. However, the 25-year-old has no doubt that he can attack the rim just as well as he snipes from downtown.
“[I’m] absolutely someone who can drive in the paint and attack. Obviously, that’s what teams are gonna force me to do, and I’ve taken huge strides throughout my career in finishing around the rim,” Kispert said. “It’s a concentration thing, I practice ’em every day, I’m relentless in how I try to practice finishing around the rim.”
The 6-foot-6, 224-pounder scored 20 points (6-13 FG, 5-6 3 PT) with three rebounds, one assist, and a block across 26 minutes on Wednesday. While his three-point shooting was sublime, his 1-of-7 clip from inside the arc was especially glaring in a winnable game.
“Those usually fall for me, and the way I feel shooting the ball right now, as soon as it clicks and I start finishing the way that I normally do, I put together some really big nights,” Kispert concluded. “I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, it’s just gonna keep me up tonight with how frustrating it is to trick off a bunch of easy ones.”
The Washington state native has been reliable as usual from deep this year, as his 37.1-percent clip leads the team among players who take at least three attempts per game. He makes two out of his 5.5 tries a night, while Jordan Poole converts 3.5 out of his 9.4 (37-percent).
With that being said, Kispert must score consistently from all three levels to elevate his game. The 2021 consensus first-team All-American has made just four of his 14 two-pointers (28.6-percent) over the last three games, and he’d free up more space for himself beyond the arc if he made defenses respect his slashing more. He’s already a good three-point shooter and finds room by moving without the ball, but there’s still room for growth.
Speaking of that, Richaun Holmes spoke on whether he’s improved offensively after tallying 20 points (7-7 FG) with two assists in 19 minutes against the Blazers (26-33).
Richaun Holmes became the first Wizard since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2022 to score at least 20 points on 100% shooting (he scored 20 on 7-7 FG).
He told me that “this is really what I do,” and people are just adjusting to seeing him play more. pic.twitter.com/bg9enGqYnE
— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) February 27, 2025
“I think this is really normally what I do. I think people are just getting adjusted to seeing me on the floor again, things of that sort,” the 31-year-old admitted. “But that’s really what I do, playing off my teammates, they do a great job of dumping the ball off. I try to find open spaces, and just getting more comfortable with these guys. I definitely think the chemistry is coming in. They know where to find me, I know where to screen for them, so it just keeps getting better and better.”
Holmes, who also added five rebounds, has helped stabilize the Wizards’ big man rotation recently. The veteran journeyman played just four games prior to the turn of the calendar year, but has played in all of Washington’s contests since Jan. 27, starting in six of them. He’s made the most of his opportunity with Alex Sarr (ankle) in and out of the lineup.
Holmes’ season-high scoring night marked the first time a Wizards player tallied at least 20 points on 100-percent shooting since Kentavious Caldwell-Pope in 2022. That’s a good way for the 6-foot-9, 235-pounder to stand out before he enters the final year of his contract in the fall.
Coulibaly, Kispert, and Holmes may not grab the top NBA headlines, but they could get more attention once Washington lands a star, which might happen through the draft this summer. If and when that does occur, the three of them are in position to be supporting pieces.
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