Bilal Coulibaly

A literal rising star in every sense, Bilal Coulibaly had already presented himself with plenty to celebrate in 2024-25, having eclipsed a new career-best in scoring just four nights prior. As both his game-by-game box score ledger — and the Atlanta Hawks, for that matter — would soon discover, the do-it-all 6-foot-6 talent had intentions on rising just a fraction or two even higher. Kickstarting his special sequence on the defensive end, Coulibaly puts his instincts on showcase, vacuuming an over-the-top pass attempt to Trae Young for a steal before immediately shifting his sights to a transition attack. Unselfish and ambitious at once in his attack, Coulibaly skips a pass ahead to his new No. 2 pick for a slightly-off-target layup before capturing it himself for a ferocious putback flush. Among the early favorites in the NBA’s Most Improved Player of the Year race, Coulibaly looked the part during a home-and-home sweep of Atlanta on October 30, 2024. Individually, Coulibaly proved superb, recording a new career-high 27 points (on 11-of-14 shooting), nine rebounds, one assist, three steals, one block, three 3-pointers, and a game-high +23 plus-minus.