Who hasn’t one day dreamed of facing their childhood great friend, the one with whom they took their first steps on amateur fields, at the highest level of world sport? For Victor Wembanyama and Bilal Coulibaly, the “dream” came true on Saturday evening. On the floor of Washington, the two nuggets of French basketball faced each other for the first time in their young careers in the NBA, on the occasion of the reception of the Spurs by the Wizards. Upon arrival, the victory of the San Antonio Texans against the “Magicians” of the capital, at the last minute (131-127), will remain for the two childhood friends anecdotal compared to the pleasure of meeting again.
“It was truly a moment of pure joy, we were just proud! It was our dream, to find ourselves on the field opposite each other,” said Bilal Coulibaly after the meeting. In a good mood, the two rookies did not hesitate to argue: “We had a bit of a ‘trash talk’ before the match, unfortunately he won. It’s childish, we’re a bit like brothers having fun! », laughs the 19-year-old from Ile-de-France. “Brothers” for whom this reunion in the NBA, the most prestigious basketball league in the world, is a dream that goes back years.
Two photos, two eras
In a photo from 2017, the two kids pose, with proud chins and blue and yellow jerseys on their backs in the colors of the Hauts-de-Seine players under 13 years old. “Wemby”, on the far left, is already a head taller than all his teammates. Bilal, far right, smiles for his first national title. This memory remains engraved in Wembanyama’s memory: “With Bilal, we were French champions seven years ago. Seeing people I love make their dreams come true is just beautiful. He is part of it and the worst thing is that he is only at the beginning: we can see very clearly that he is the most promising of his team,” says the 2.24m giant who has just celebrated his 20 years.
Their height difference (21 centimeters in favor of who you know) has not changed, but in another photo, the suits have replaced the two-tone jerseys that are too large for their small bodies. The date: June 2023. A golden summer for French basketball where the NBA red carpet opens to the two friends and teammates who are coming out of a full season with the Mets 92 of Levallois in Betclic Elite, the French championship. Victor Wembanyama becomes the first French player to be drafted number one in history. And Bilal Coulibaly, in the shadow of his “big brother”, is chosen in seventh position, which makes him the second highest drafted Frenchman with Killian Hayes (2020).
The Olympics in sight for the two brothers
One is a real comet which never ceases to impress with its agility and its extraordinary physical qualities. An “alien”, as American legend LeBron James described him, victim, like basketball enthusiasts, of “Wembamania”. The other, more discreet, takes the opportunity to make his mark in the American capital, garners playing time and strings together good matches, always strong in defense and with impressive athletic potential.
The two French people are swimming in the opposite direction of their team’s moribund results, San Antonio in last place in the Western Conference and Washington in penultimate place in the East, but that does not prevent them from putting on a show. Wembanyama made the Capital One Arena roar on Saturday with dazzling counterattacks and a few improbable dunks, and Coulibaly even made a counterattack on his “big brother”! “I have to see if it was credited to me,” jokes the person concerned after the match.
If he’s already thinking about this year’s Olympic Games? “Still, it’s going to be in Paris, it’s not in your country all the time! » But this time, “BC” and “Wemby” will play on the same side. And Coulibaly makes no mistake, “it’s going to be easier this time!” »