2024 NBA Draft: Alex Sarr goes No. 2 overall to Wizards; international players selected 1-2 for first time

The Washington Wizards chosen Alex Sarr with the No. 2 choose within the 2024 NBA Draft. Between Sarr and No. 1 choose Zaccharie Risacher, the highest two picks within the 2024 draft have each been French. Sarr has taken a moderately uncommon path from France to the NBA, touching main basketball developmental packages on three completely different continents. 

Sarr first signed professionally with Actual Madrid in Spain and performed two years of their youth system. He then got here to america and performed two extra seasons with Time beyond regulation Elite. When Time beyond regulation Elite folded, he elected to depart america to play in Australia for the Perth Wildcats. Sarr was a reserve in Australia, and he averaged solely 11.1 factors per sport enjoying for Time beyond regulation Elite, so on paper, his numbers do not precisely scream high draft choose.

That stated, Sarr makes up for that with stellar bodily traits. He’s almost seven ft tall, however extra importantly, he comes with a 7-foot-4 wingspan. That dimension coupled with stellar mobility has the possibility to make him an elite defensive participant within the NBA, particularly in a scheme that permits him to change and canopy the perimeter typically. Sarr’s upside will rely on his progress on offense. He has ball expertise and is a high-energy participant, however his leap shot has an extended solution to go, particularly given how a lot he appears to favor perimeter offense. If he can develop that shot, although, and in addition modify to scoring extra inside, he has a really promising NBA future.

The Washington Wizards kicked off a long-overdue rebuild final offseason by buying and selling Bradley Beal and Kristaps Porzingis. They knew doing so would make issues onerous for them within the brief time period, and so they had been proper as final yr’s group stumbled to a 15-67 report that topped solely the 14-win Detroit Pistons among the many NBA’s worst groups. Whereas the No. 2 choose represented a pleasant begin, Washington’s rebuild could be very a lot nonetheless within the early phases.

The one participant who might be thought-about a core piece at this level is final yr’s lottery choose Bilal Coulibaly. He averaged 8.4 factors in roughly 27 minutes per sport whereas flashing upside as a defender and athlete, however aside from him, this roster stays pretty barren in relation to gamers on rookie offers. That’s true significantly in mild of the Wizards’ pre-draft transfer to ship Deni Avdija to the Portland Path Blazers in trade for Malcom Brogdon and the No. 14 choose. Kyle Kuzma could be invaluable to the best crew as a task participant, however proper now, the Wizards are very a lot trying to find younger cornerstones.

In Sarr, they’ve taken a house run swing on a participant with the entire bodily instruments he might want to attain stardom. If he can discover his jumper extra persistently or develop as a rim-protector in order that he can defend each the perimeter and inside, he’s going to be a really invaluable younger middle for a Wizards crew that does not have a lot to cling to in the mean time. This rebuild remains to be years away from producing a winner, however Sarr is a pleasant piece so as to add to that blend.