Entering the night with just a three percent chance of winning the No. 1 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, the Atlanta Hawks proved that Disneyland isn’t the only place where magic happens.
Now gifted with an unexpected opportunity to improve their roster after an unsatisfactory season, the Eastern Conference contender is trying to figure out the right way to play their cards. With one or both of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray likely on the trade block, the Hawks can use the No. 1 pick as a sweetener, targeting any number of All-Stars. However, Atlanta could opt to keep the pick whether it’s because they were unable to find a suitable deal or because they grew fond of a specific prospect.
To that point, one projected lottery pick may already have a leg up on the competition.
Alexandre Sarr ‘Excited’ to Play for Hawks
“I’m really excited,” Alexandre Sarr says of potentially being drafted by the Hawks, per Andscape’s Marc J. Spears.
“The Hawks are an exciting organization,” he continues. “They are trending in the right direction. It’s great that they have the No. 1 pick.”
When asked why he should be selected first overall, Sarr says “I bring a lot of versatility… I am a game changer defensively.”
The 19-year-old isn’t wrong. In 2023-24, Sarr averaged 19.2 points, 9.0 rebounds, 3.1 blocks, and 2.1 assists per 36 minutes. Capable of bringing the ball up in the open court and creating in the halfcourt, his guard skills as a 7-footer are alluring. However, his ability to protect the rim at a high level while still being able to guard in space makes him a rarity at both ends.
That said, the rationale behind the Hawks drafting Sarr is that he gives them the best of what Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu have to offer in one player.
Capela is a traditional rim-running center but lacks the fluidity to be depended upon when defending on the perimeter. With over 18,000 career minutes played, there’s also a lot of mileage on the 30-year-old’s body, further impacting his defensive activity. At the other end of the spectrum, Okongwu is springy enough to protect the rim and agile enough to guard in space. However, he’s only 6-foot-8, primarily playing center because of his offensive limitations.
Returning to The A?
A native of Bordeaux, France, Sarr spent two years in Atlanta playing with the Overtime Elite before signing with the NBL’s Perth Wildcats last May. In that time, the big man attended “a lot of Hawks games,” taking to the team’s passionate fans.
“I know a little bit about Atlanta,” Sarr says.” “…I was just going to school and was in the gym. It’s a great city.”
According to Spears, “odds are the Hawks will visit privately with Sarr” at the NBA Draft Combine. Notably, Hawks general manager Landry Fields reveals that he went to Australia to see Sarr play up close. That type of longstanding mutual interest may not result in him being a franchise pillar in Atlanta. However, the Hawks are certainly considering it.
