Brooklyn Nets: 3 perfect combinations for their pair of 1st-round picks

1. Dariq Whitehead and Bilal Coulibaly

Dariq Whitehead entered the season as a potential top-5 pick, but a foot injury sapped away his athleticism and left him struggling to establish a rhythm for Duke. Now Whitehead is undergoing a second foot surgery, which could drop him comfortably into Brooklyn’s range on draft night.

If that happens, the Nets should be jumping for joy. There are valid health concerns tied to a lingering foot problem, but Whitehead is one of the more complete two-way prospects on the board at full strength. Even in what felt like a dismal season at Duke, he shot over 42 percent from deep and flashed plenty of playmaking potential on both ends. On paper, Whitehead is comfortable with or without the ball offensively and he can guard 1-4 in certain matchups.

Bilal Coulibaly is another prospect who deserves a lottery grade. He has operated in the massive shadow of Victor Wembanyama for French team Metropolitans 92, but that has ultimately benefitted the 18-year-old. One of the youngest players in the draft, Coulibaly is not difficult to lay eyes on.

For such a young player, Coulibaly already shows tremendous awareness on the defensive end. Listed around 6-foot-7 with a 7-foot-3 wingspan, Coulibaly is a monster athlete, capable of exploding vertically for weak-side blocks or shooting the gaps for steals. Between him and Whitehead, the Nets would have two 18-year-old, switchable wings with extremely high ceilings. For a team looking to replenish its star power without high-ranking draft picks, such upside swings are the right move. The draft could not fall any better than this for Brooklyn.

For more information on the 2023 NBA Draft class, you can check out our latest Big Board and Mock Draft.