Alex Sarr is a part of a loaded French NBA draft class including Zaccharie Risacher and Tidjane Salaun. Sarr has been a recent favorite to become the number one overall pick in the NBA draft come June. Sarr chose to play this past season for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL out of Australia. His season officially ended on Wednesday, March 14th as his team lost in the semifinals to the Tasmania JackJumpers.
Playing in pro leagues has become more common for NBA draft prospects recently, but there are advantages and disadvantages. Now that it’s over, let’s take a look at the overall season as a whole for the talented big man.
Season Ends For Potential NBA Number One Pick: Was The NBL The Right Move?
Younger Is Better. Or Is It?
Alex Sarr will only be 19 years old when the 2024 NBA draft comes around at the end of June. The draft loves youth, and being a teenager is almost a requirement for top five consideration. In professional leagues overseas however, experience and chemistry are often valued higher than youth.
Despite Sarr projecting to be a top-five pick, he never started a game for the Wildcats this season. As a sixth man off the bench, he averaged 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game. For someone in consideration at number one overall, these numbers certainly wouldn’t jump at you.
To be fair, being a sixth man on a pro team is no small task, and the Wildcats were picked by many to win the league. Did Sarr get the most out of playing in the NBL though?
For Better Or Worse?
Sarr wasn’t afforded the same opportunities on the court he would have been given had he gone to college. In a college setting, he would have literally been the ‘big man on campus,’ and likely have gotten to showcase his game however he pleased.
With the Wildcats though, Sarr was relegated to a more traditional big man role. Specifically offensively, he never had the necessary freedom to be a true focal point. So at this point, why would any top prospect choose to play a lesser role for professional teams overseas? It would seem playing for the Wildcats should have negatively impacted Sarr’s draft stock.
In a weak 2024 NBA draft class though, this slightly limited role could have been exactly what Sarr needed. When topics come up around Sarr being the number one pick, you will hear the words ‘flashed’ and ‘upside’ a ton. He wasn’t able to consistently showcase everything he could do, but his limited role protected his deficiencies as well.
For anyone who’s watched Sarr’s game, you will know that the defensive end of the floor is where he shines best. Blocking shots and great mobility at seven-foot-one are seen as easily projectable traits that he should sustain even at the NBA level. Offense is always where he’s been the most raw. If he went to a situation that thrust him into being a number one option on high-volume shooting, Sarr could have had a rough and inefficient season.
Sarr only shot 27.6 percent from behind the three-point line this season on limited attempts. He also only flashed a face-up and perimeter game every now and then throughout the year. With this small sample size, people are more likely to say he has the ‘upside’ to become a great offensive player. On high volume though, people may have decided that he just couldn’t shoot. Or they may have said that his ball handling just isn’t going to develop into an advanced skill.
Final Thoughts:
All in all, the NBL looks like it was the right spot for Alex Sarr in terms of his NBA draft stock. In a weaker draft class with no clear franchise-level talent, the limited role for the Wildcats worked out perfectly. Part of the reason Sarr is in consideration at number one is because he’s one of the few players with high-end ‘upside’ who still possesses a bankable skill (his defense).
Next up for Sarr will be the NBA draft combine in May, where he projects to test very well athletically. If private workouts prove that the flashes of offensive skill are legit, look for Sarr to make a team in the top three very happy.
