On Sunday against the Atlanta Hawks, Coulibaly logged just 17 minutes and finished with only two points, four rebounds and three assists. Not only did he play the fewest minutes among the Wizards who suited up, but he also had the worst plus-minus rating in the game with -18.
Coulibaly’s recent poor stretch is definitely a concerning trend, especially since he started December on a good note. In their first six games of the month, he actually averaged 13.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.6 steals on nearly 30 minutes per outing. It really looked like he’s starting to find his rhythm, making him poised to get a starting nod sooner rather than later.

Nonetheless, his production quickly came crashing down after that, with his scoring dropping to just around six points. His defensive impact also suddenly disappeared.

Following their 130-126 loss to the Hawks, Kuzma talked about their rookie–who was drafted seventh overall in the recent 2023 NBA Draft–and highlighted his belief that the youngster needs to be more aggressive.

The Wizards forward also offered some advice for Coulibaly to get going, emphasizing the need for a change in mentality.