NBA DRAFT

June 22, 2023

Bilal Coulibaly

Q. Could you start out with what you'll bring to the Wizards.

BILAL COULIBALY: Oh, man. A competitor. Two-way player that can play defense. A good playmaker. Can score, too.

Q. When Japanese baseball players come to the United States, they can sign with any Major League Baseball team; they're total free agents. I'm not sure if you spoke to Victor about this, but do you wish you could have had the opportunity -- as exciting as this is, to negotiate with all the NBA teams, just being selected by one and not having the same negotiating power?

BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, I hope so, but that's just a great process, too, so I love it. Just waiting for the call and everything, yeah, I love it.

Q. Yesterday Victor came out and said that your height and weight are real and that the numbers aren't fake. He talked about you getting drafted higher than what you were projected to because you were better than what people thought. What does it mean to have that type of support from a teammate, even though you're going to go your separate ways into this team?

BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, Wemby is more than a teammate. That's like my brother. I just expect nothing from him, but he's like that. He's just a great guy. So yeah, that's just unbelievable. Yeah, he's good.

Q. Did you have any idea about the trade when you were picked? And how big of a year is it for French basketball with you guys getting picked in the top seven and then obviously in the Olympics next year in Paris?

BILAL COULIBALY: For your first, no, I didn't have any idea. But I was like, Pacers? I didn't talk to them or nothing. So I was like, that's a surprise. But love it. Now that I know the trade and everything, I'm just like, oh, now I understand. So that's it.

And for French basketball, I'm so happy for it. We're getting more and more in this league. So yeah, just happy for that.

Q. About French basketball, what were your interactions like with Victor and what do you hope to accomplish the summer before?

BILAL COULIBALY: Yeah, we talked a lot about that. We just wish the best for French basketball, French national team. We'll see this summer what's going on. I don't know if I'm going to the French national team or not. We'll see, and just hope the best for that team.