NBA Scouting Report: A prospect that the Pacers should absolutely be targeting

Recently, one of our contributors wrote about why the Pacers will be contenders soon. Digging into the potential of the Pacers draft picks for the up-and-coming 2023 Draft got me thinking. Here is an option to consider.

Bilal Coulibaly, the French international prospect, has impressed scouts with his combination of athleticism, shooting, and defensive prowess. His physical tools, including his impressive speed and hops, have allowed him to be a dominant force in the U21 division in France, showcasing his skills alongside highly-touted prospect Victor Wembanyama. With his upside potential, Coulibaly is projected to be selected by the Indiana Pacers with the 26th pick in the upcoming NBA draft.

Coulibaly’s skillset makes him a great fit for the Pacers as they look to build around their young core of talented players and develop their prospects for future success. The team is in need of players who can contribute in multiple areas of the game, and Coulibaly’s versatility on both ends of the floor makes him an intriguing prospect for the Pacers to consider.

Offensively, Coulibaly’s slashing, cutting, and instinctive scoring abilities allow him to take advantage of his impressive speed and hops. He has great deceleration ability, which lets him get by defenders and finish creatively in the lane. While his outside shooting needs improvement, his ability to hit the 3 and develop his shot will be crucial in becoming a well-rounded player in the NBA.

Overall abilities:

Defensively, Coulibaly is a versatile and disruptive defender, using his elite athletic tools and freaky length to pester ball handlers and disrupt passing lanes. His athleticism and defensive potential make him a valuable asset for the Pacers as they look to improve their defensive efficiency.

Shot blocking ability:

Moreover, the Pacers have a strong history of player development, especially with international prospects such as All-Star forward Domantas Sabonis. Coulibaly’s international experience and potential for growth make him an excellent addition to the team’s future plans for player development.

Coulibaly’s strengths and potential for growth make him an intriguing prospect for the Pacers to consider.

As the team looks to build around their young core of talented players and develop their prospects, Coulibaly’s versatility on both ends of the floor and athleticism will be crucial in contributing to the team’s future success. With their strong history of player development, the Pacers have the potential to unlock Coulibaly’s full potential and help him become a valuable asset for years to come.

Check this out:

Some added insight that I can also comment on are as follows:

For his size and skill level being able to play the transition offensively well and defensively having the ability to steal the ball at will do standout highly.

Again for his size and while as mentioned above his ability to hit the 3 need to be further stressed as follows. In the current 22-23 season he’s attempted 82 shots from behind the arch and converted 28 of them with success.

Another area the is overlooked with Coulibaly is that his ability to contest shots. This season alone across 41 games he’s in total contested 154 shots that have led to missed situations of opponents.