NBA Analyst Details 1 Player That Is Rising Up Draft Boards

The NBA Draft is always full of hidden gems, guys who fly under the radar for most of the process and then wind up being stars.

Sometimes, however, sleepers can’t stay hidden for long, rising up draft boards shortly before the draft when scouts get a closer glimpse at those players.

And this year’s hidden gem might as well be Bilal Coulibaly, with NBA Draft expert Jonathan Givony citing that he had a “phenomenal showing” in the French league playoffs and also impressed NBA teams with a private workout he held in Paris.

Went on Sportscenter this morning to talk about Bilal Coulibaly’s rise up draft boards and what makes him unique as a NBA prospect. pic.twitter.com/RnH9de0Cvv

— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) June 19, 2023

Givony raved about Coulibaly’s athleticism and ability as a point-of-attack defender.

He also talked about his improved three-point shooting and compared him to a Mikal Bridges kind of player for his ability to make an impact on the defensive end of the floor and also in the open court.

Givony also predicted that Coulibaly could’ve risen all the way to the top 10 in the upcoming draft after impressing scouts over the past month or so.

Naturally, most scouts were mesmerized and focused on Victor Wembanyama for more than obvious reasons.

But Coulibaly continued to get better as the season went by, and he was also a big contributor to their team’s run to the finals.

Coulibaly obviously doesn’t have the GOAT and unicorn potential that his fellow teammate has, but he’s an NBA-ready defender who’s still growing into his body and who has the athletic traits and shooting stroke to become an efficient scorer from all three levels.

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