Pacers pick Bilal Coulibaly 7th overall, trade with Wizards for Jarace Walker and two 2nd round picks

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The Indiana Pacers traded its 7th overall pick, Bilal Coulibaly, for 8th overall pick, Jarace Walker, and two 2028 second-round picks

With the 7th pick in the 2023 NBA draft, the Indiana Pacers selected small forward Bilal Coulibaly. Coulibaly was teammates with first overall pick Victor Wembanyama on Metropolitan 92, a French professional basketball team.

One pick after, the Wizards selected power forward Jarace Walker out of the University of Houston. The Pacers traded Coulibaly to the Wizards for Walker, while also gaining two 2028 2nd round picks from Washington.

Walker was the No. 12 recruit in the class of 2022 and averaged 11.2 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.2 assists in one season for the Houston Cougars, earning various accolades such as All-American Athletic Conference freshman of the year and second-team AAC.

Walker is a versatile defender who helped the Cougars finish second in the nation in scoring defense. He has drawn comparisons to Golden State’s Draymond Green and former NBA All-Star Paul Millsap. The Cougars finished with a record of 33-4 and a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament before losing to Miami in the Sweet 16.