12. Oklahoma City Thunder – Bilal Coulibaly, F, France
In every NBA Draft, there are late risers that end up making a huge move up big boards in the final few weeks of the draft season. Bilal Coulibaly could end up being that prospect when looking back at the 2023 draft class. In recent weeks, he has gone from a possible second-round pick to now a prospect that could be selected in the lottery. In fact, according to a recent report, there is a belief that less than three weeks before the NBA Draft, Coulibaly has been given a draft promise by a team in the lottery. Many believe that team is the Oklahoma City Thunder.
This is certainly an interesting development and is the type of move that could turn the NBA Draft upside down. Nevertheless, it’s easy to see why a team would be intrigued by Coulibaly. He has great size for a wing at 6-foot-7 with a 7-plus-foot wingspan. He’s a great athlete and has flashed as an elite defender.
The big question is whether or not his offense will ever catch up with his natural ability and skill set. If it does, there’s a real chance that Coulibaly ends up being one of the bigger diamonds in the rough out of this year’s class.