Alex Sarr is a mobile big man in contention for the number one pick in many NBA mock drafts. He’s had a unique pathway to the NBA draft but has become a very successful young player.
Alex Sarr 2024 NBA Draft Profile
Early Career
Sarr is originally from France but has played in a variety of professional leagues. Beginning in 2019, Sarr played two years with Spain’s Real Madrid as a part of their youth team. In 2021, he found his way to the Overtime Elite program in the U.S. that has been a recent filter system for NBA talent. For his final year before becoming draft eligible, Sarr signed a contract with the NBL’s Perth Wildcats in Australia. The NBL’s program boasts that they’ve seen eight players drafted since their inception, with three being lottery picks. NBA players Lamelo Ball, Josh Giddey, Ousmane Dieng, and RJ Hampton are among the most notable alumni.
For a potential number one NBA draft pick candidate, Sarr’s numbers won’t jump at you. Despite Sarr projecting to be a top-five pick, he never started a game for the Wildcats this season. This isn’t all that uncommon for young prospects playing in pro leagues however. Sarr averaged 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game as a sixth man off the bench.
Strengths
For anyone who’s watched Sarr’s game, you will know that the defensive end of the floor is where he shines best. Elite shot-blocking and mobility at seven-foot-one are seen as easily projectable traits that should sustain even at the NBA level. His almost two blocks per game in a professional basketball environment in limited minutes is very impressive. This is helped by his near nine-foot-three standing reach. His natural athleticism and lateral movement combined with his elite height and length project well for a modern NBA big. This side of the floor is what keeps Sarr at the top of NBA draft discussions.
Another strength for Sarr is his floor as a vertical spacing big man in transition and the pick-and-roll. Even if the jump shot and other offensive weapons never come around, he should excel as a play finisher from day one. His physical profile and skill are ready made to rim-run in transition, sit in the ‘dunker spot,’ and catch lob-passes in the pick-and-roll. This higher floor combined with potential and upside to become more is what excites scouts the most when evaluating Sarr.
Weaknesses
Right now, Sarr’s signature weaknesses are the consequence of him not being a finished product. For one, his overall strength on the interior will need to improve at the next level. Sarr shot an average 58.1 percent on layups this season, and improving his frame should be a priority.
Sarr’s primary weakness as an NBA draft prospect however comes in terms of his offensive polish and shot creation. He’s by no means a finished product on offense just yet, and what teams are excited about are only seen in ‘flashes.’ He’s shown he has the ability to shoot, but only shot 27.6 percent from the three-point line on the season. He also doesn’t possess an advanced ability to create shots for himself consistently. Again, there have been flashes of a face-up post game as well as driving closeouts, but nothing concrete. As a young player on a pro team, he didn’t get much opportunity to improve in this area either.
NBA Comparison
Sarr’s already NBA-ready on the defensive end blocking shots and using his length and mobility on the perimeter. This easily projected defensive skillset has made him a similar prospect to Evan Mobley of the Cleveland Cavaliers. Mobley has been excellent on defense since entering the league, but his perimeter game on offense hasn’t quite reached its potential yet. This is eerily similar to Sarr, who’s only shown ‘flashes’ of offensive skill in face-ups and three-point shooting. If the shooting and offense progress however, he could be in a similar vain to Jaren Jackson Jr. of the Memphis Grizzlies.
2024 NBA Draft Projection
Top five overall pick
