The Washington Wizards moved up one spot in the NBA draft Thursday night, swapping lottery picks with the Indiana Pacers and ending up with Bilal Coulibaly of France.
NBA Wembanyama Time Boulogne-Levallois' Bilal Coulibaly (0) drives up court in action during the playoffs of the Elite basketball match Boulogne-Levallois against Monaco at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
AP Photo/Thibault Camus
NBA Wembanyama Time Boulogne-Levallois' Bilal Coulibaly shoots in action during the playoffs of the Elite basketball match Boulogne-Levallois against Monaco at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
AP Photo/Thibault Camus
NBA Wembanyama Time Boulogne-Levallois' Bilal Coulibaly dunks the ball in action during the playoffs of the Elite basketball match Boulogne-Levallois against Monaco at the Roland Garros stadium in Paris, Thursday, June 15, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus)
AP Photo/Thibault Camus
Bilal Coulibaly Bilal Coulibaly arrives at Barclays Center before the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 22, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
AP Photo/John Minchillo
Bilal Coulibaly Bilal Coulibaly arrives at Barclays Center before the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 22, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
AP Photo/John Minchillo
NBA Draft Basketball Bilal Coulibaly poses for a photo with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being selected seventh overall by the Indiana Pacers during the NBA basketball draft, Thursday, June 22, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/John Minchillo)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Washington Wizards moved up one spot in the NBA draft Thursday night, swapping lottery picks with the Indiana Pacers and ending up with Bilal Coulibaly of France.
The Pacers had the No. 7 pick and Washington was at No. 8, but after Indiana took Coulibaly and the Wizards selected Jarace Walker of Houston, Commissioner Adam Silver announced the teams were exchanging the picks in a trade to be finalized later.
Coulibaly spent the past season with Boulogne-Levallois of the French league — the same team as top overall pick Victor Wembanyama. The 6-foot-8 Coulibaly turns 19 next month.
The 6-foot-6 Walker was part of a Houston team that was a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament this year. He averaged 11.2 points as a freshman before entering the draft.
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