It’s safe to say that the Washington Wizards had an abysmally poor offensive season. They finished 28th in the league in field goal percentage per contest, and over the summer, traded their most consistent player and leading scorer, Jordan Poole. However, after the roster revamp, this season will headline Washington’s second phase in their rebuild. ESPN’s Tim MacMahon has made it clear, however, that Wizards’ Alex Sarr and Bilal Coulibaly should maximize their strengths while the rest of the team covers their weaknesses.
ESPN’s MacMahon Questions Offensive Skillset Of 2 Wizards
MacMahon wasn’t shy in his opinions of Sarr and Coulibaly’s offensive skillsets. In an appearance on “The Hoop Collective” podcast, he said: “Both of them are just bad offensive players. Both have big-time potential on the defensive end, but it’s hard to play two guys that are just that dreadful offensively.”
While his statement certainly holds value, it’s important to analyze both players’ offensive numbers during their short NBA and international careers.
Alex Sarr
Sarr came into the season with high aspirations with the Wizards, being noticed for his defensive capabilities while having the potential to be a solid scorer. However, his rookie campaign showed that while his defensive abilities were outstanding, his offensive game will need time to develop.
Sarr averaged 13 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.4 assists throughout his first 67 games in the NBA. His offensive game never really got going, shooting 39.4% from the field and just over 30% from three. Additionally, Sarr finished the season with a very low offensive rating of 99.
Rookies do tend to struggle a bit; not one rookie in the 2024 draft class had an outstanding season. Spurs forward Stephon Castle won Rookie of the Year, and he shot 28.5% from three. However, that doesn’t spare Sarr from criticism, either. This season, he has to prove he has true potential on that side of the floor. He put a little bit of his newfound offensive game on display in EuroBasket 2025 before his injury, but that doesn’t always translate to the NBA hardwood.
Bilal Coulibaly
Coulibaly is in a much different boat than Sarr, for sure. After having a solid rookie campaign, Coulibaly regressed in most offensive categories this past season. While his scoring average jumped from 8.4 to 12.3, his shooting splits regressed from 43.5% to 42.1% from the field, and a massive drop from 34.6% behind the arc to 28.1%.
With this being Coulibaly’s make-or-break season in D.C, he’ll absolutely have to improve on this side of the floor. He has the capabilities to be a solid two-way threat whenever he’s on the floor; however, it hasn’t shown in the NBA or in international play. This upcoming season, there are fresh faces at the forward position looking to take any additional minutes they can snag, and Coulibaly’s should be first in line. If he stops producing, he’ll fall out of the rotation and may find himself in a new jersey before the season concludes.
The Last Word
McMahon’s claims are true. Sarr nor Coulibaly are perfect on the offensive end of the floor. However, Sarr has at least one more full season to showcase some kind of growth on that floor. Coulibaly doesn’t have that luxury and must show more consistency if he wants to stay in Washington as they round out the rest of the roster. Both French players must show that they can become better all-around threats as the season draws nearer.
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