Decryption – After a first discreet campaign in blue last summer, during the Paris Olympics, the young winger (19 years old) of the Wizards went up in rank for the Eurobasket.
Bilal Coulibaly in blue, season II. At 19, the native of Saint-Cloud (92) saw his second international competition in the French team, at the Eurobasket. The first turned out to be discreet, with a limited playing time in the group stage of the Paris Olympics, a few minutes against Canada in quarters and the bench against Germany, before showing up in the final, against Team USA. It was undoubtedly a little early for the Wizards Player (NBA), revealed to everyone’s surprise during the 2022-23 season with the 92 foods of Vincent Collet and Victor Wembanyama. All before being chosen in the seventh row of the Draft 2023. Entry into the big world in the country of Uncle Sam.
Unique cocktail of size (2.03m) and length, athletic qualities and explosiveness, this promising rear/winger did not make the trip for nothing last summer. He immersed himself from each other’s teachings in this cloakroom full of experience. A sponge. “”As soon as I got to Washington, I understood that I had spent a milestone. I grew up, if only by speaking with the “vets”. They taught me a lot during these Olympic Games. It’s an accelerator“, Recognized Coulibaly at the start of the rally, in INSEP, sharing his”pleasure», By SA«determination»The idea of finding the Blues. A group that has obviously changed well since the Olympic Games, with only three Olympic vice-champions under the orders of the new coach Freddy Faith (Coulibaly, Yabusele, Cordinier). “”Everything is different. The staff, the team, everything is differentHe noted.
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With the experience of the games, the guys who told us about last year, I learned a lot.
Bilal Coulibaly
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And Bilal Coulibaly is too. What has changed for him since the 2024 campaign? “”I would say my confidence already, and in the field, my dribbling, my shot … overall, I worked on everything, so I think I have progressed on everything“He analyzed, he who saw his second season in the NBA stopped in March, on injury. Season whose statistics make it possible to assess your progress: 8.4 points, 4.1 rebounds and 1.7 assist in 27.2 minutes and 63 games played in 2023-24, including 15 in the starting five, against 12.3 points, 5 rebounds and 3.4 assists in 59 games, all as a holder.
Agency wyborcza.pl / Reuters
Performance that logically gives appetite to Bilal Coulibaly, especially within such a young and renewed France team. “”I came with this in mind too, having more balloons, playing much more for others, for me, create for everyone. I expect to have many more responsibilities. I worked for that“, He hammered, he who was aimed at”communicate much more»With his teammates. “”I am much more confident when I talk to the guys. I know what I’m talking about. With the experience of the games, the guys who told us about last year, I learned a lot. I’m trying to transcribe them nowHe said. That does not prevent listening, from learning, as he did by training with Batum in Levallois at the beginning of the summer, or by following the advice “Ancients like Gershon (Yabusele) or Isaïa (Cordinier), they are very communicative».
Sarr with a carpet
His progression … and the absences of each other have made it a holder in the French team “Made in Flies”. Assessment? Two good games to start (Belgium, Slovenia) and two less good afterwards (Israel, Poland), before an anecdotal victory against Iceland (114-74) on Thursday, to conclude the group stage. 7.6 points on average, at 45.2% on shots, including 3/13 from afar, and 4.6 rebounds in just under 19 minutes. Can do better.
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Make way for the round of 16 and this duel against Georgia this Sunday (2:15 p.m.), in Riga (Latvia). In case of success, it may be Finland, falling from Nikola Jokic Serbia on Saturday. Sacred menu for private blues from the other wizards player, Alex Sarr, number 2 of the Draft 2024 behind another French, Zaccharie Risacher (Atlanta Hawks). “”It follows me all year round, I’m a little fed up (laughs)», Chamberait Bilal Coulibaly.
Grzegorz Celejewski / Reuters
At the 2028 games, we tell ourselves that we have a chance.
Bilal Coulibaly
Despite his young age, the former dishes can in any case tell his Olympic memories with his teammates, like a veteran returned from the front. “”As soon as I tell me about the Olympics, I think Matthew’s shooting (Strazel) against Japan . This is the first image that comes back to me. And then I think of the final too, when Steph (Curry) has chained all his shots, unfortunately“, He remembered, admitting that he often thinks back to the Olympic Games,”With this regret of having lost in the final, but we think of the 2028 Olympics, we tell ourselves that we have a chance».
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By Los Angeles, the Blues have an appointment with the world in Qatar in 2027, and with Europe this summer. What objectives at the start? “”Winning, giving everything, in any case going without regret, it will already be a very nice thing. If we play with desire, I think we have talent for, so we go to win“, He said, adding that it is”good pressure“What to want to keep France at the top of the poster (final at the Olympic Games 2021 and 2024 and Euro 2022). And to add: “We go there to fight. We know it’s war. At the Euro, it’s really more fights than basketball. You have to go in beating mode». A whole program. One thing is certain: it will not be the last battle of Coulibaly, called to become a selection framework in the years to come.
