Two seasons after trading Bradley Beal, the Washington Wizards began their rebuild, selecting Alex Sarr with their 2024 lottery pick. The Frenchman was chosen for his defensive skills and two-way potential, and has already shown promise as a future cornerstone for the team.
Sarr had a challenging start to his life in the NBA, particularly during the summer league. The seven-footer was praised for his defensive abilities and fluidity. There were numerous questions regarding what he contributed on the offensive end, aside from his athleticism. These concerns only intensified the more he played, as the 19-year-old struggled in the Summer League and early in the regular season. This led many Wizards fans to wonder if the front office had made a significant mistake.
An 0-15 performance against the Portland Trail Blazers was by far Sarr’s worst offensive showing. At one point, the big man was averaging 5.5 points on a woeful 22.6% true shooting percentage. The biggest reason for the lack of offensive production was his inability to finish at the rim. Despite his size and fluid movement, Sarr is not the strongest when it comes to his physical strength. This led to the Frenchmen getting bullied in the interior time and time again. Sarr would miss what should’ve been easy finishes due to a lack of touch and strength repeatedly.
Despite his Summer League and early-season struggles, Sarr showed one thing he can do: play defense. His swift footwork and strong instincts allow him to effectively contest shots and disrupt passing lanes. Apart from the occasional mental lapses you’d expect from a rookie, Sarr has been an impactful defender for the Wizards since day one.
An apt comparison for Sarr’s defensive profile would be Cavs big man Evan Mobley. Much like Mobley, Sarr excels at using his length and agility to alter opponent shots. Sarr currently lacks the physical strength to be an interior anchor, but he makes up for it with his ability to guard multiple positions while being a strong shot blocker. As he continues to build muscle and refine his technique, there is potential for him to become a dominant defensive presence. This defensive foundation set the stage for his growth in other areas.
This improvement was reflected not only in his statistics but also in his confidence on the court. As the season went on, Sarr’s overall game showed noticeable improvement from game to game. His off-ball awareness has developed significantly, enhancing his overall impact on the game.
The month of December proved to be a breakthrough for the Wizards youngster. Sarr averaged 13.8 points, 6.3 rebounds, and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 45% from the three-point line on nearly five attempts a night.
A rather surprising facet of Sarr’s game is his playmaking abilities. An average of about two assists a game seems poultry on the surface. But when you watch the big man play it is clear that he knows how to find the open man consistently, especially out of pick-and-roll situations where Sarr is the short roller. The Wizards have been calling more plays with Sarr needing to make reads in these situations, and its not on accident. He is no Nikola Jokic but Sarr has some passing chops and it wouldn’t be surprising if he averaged 4 or 5 assists at some point in his career.
Sarr’s improvement from behind the arc is surprising. For a while, many Wizards fans thought the youngster needed to stop taking and missing so many threes. The rookie’s persistence has paid off with a scorching hot shooting month. This isn’t just a case of luck either, as his shot mechanics look much smoother than the jerky motion he had in the summer league and early in the season.
“Whether I was missing them or not the first month, I didn’t stop taking them,” was what Sarr had to say when asked about his mindset when it comes to shooting. This seems to be something the Wizards are encouraging in order to get Sarr reps early on in the rebuild.
Sarr fits the mold of what NBA teams want out of their modern-day bigs. Someone who is tall, athletic, and defensively versatile while showing offensive flashes at just 19 years old is fantastic. With these skills alone, Sarr can develop into an elite glue guy in this league.
Sarr still has improvements he can make. His weaker frame stymies him on both offense and defense. He also seems to be uncomfortable catching the ball in the paint and tends to avoid contact with heavier players.
Fortunately for the Wizards, most of these issues stem from the fact Sarr is a 19-year-old who just needs to put on muscle. Adding on to his frame will allow the big to be a more complete player who can play and compete inside and outside of the paint. If Sarr can do this while honing his already great defensive instincts, he will be a key player for the Wizards for years to come.
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