Wizards star Bilal Coulibaly (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Washington Wizards forward Bilal Coulibaly has undergone surgery to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb, an injury sustained while representing France at EuroBasket.
According to RG sources, Coulibaly dealt with pain throughout the tournament but aggravated the injury against Slovenia, forcing him to play the rest of France’s run with his hand wrapped. After powering through until elimination, an MRI determined the need for surgery, and he underwent the procedure in New York City on Friday.
RG sources also said Coulibaly is expected to be sidelined for six to eight weeks while recovering, a timetable that would keep him out for the start of the Wizards’ regular season. A standard process for recovery would involve a return to basketball activities on the early end of that timetable, but a need to go through the full return to competition process.
“Usually, you’re not touching a basketball, unless it’s just to do off-hand work, until that six-week mark,” one source said. “Then he’d have to do contact work before playing.”  Â
Coulibaly was not the only Wizard to suffer an injury during France’s EuroBasket run. Alex Sarr was forced to withdraw after hurting his calf. France, silver medalists at the 2024 Paris Olympics, was eliminated in the round of 16 following an upset loss to Georgia.
Coulibaly averaged 12.3 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in 59 games during the 2024–25 season. He carved out a role in Washington’s rotation with his perimeter defense and ability to create plays off the dribble, but efficiency remains a key area of improvement. He shot just 28.1% from 3-point range with the Wizards last year — while playing through this issue — struggled from deep at EuroBasket, finishing 3-of-14.
Washington is in the midst of a rebuild centered around its young core, with Coulibaly projected to be one of the focal points. The franchise intends to prioritize minutes for players in his age group, giving him opportunities to grow through extended playing time once he is healthy.
Despite the setback, Coulibaly’s long-term outlook in Washington remains promising. Once he returns, he is expected to continue developing into a central piece of the Wizards’ rebuilding efforts.Â