The 7-foot-1 European facility has recently developed his match at Overtime Elite and in the National Basketball League of Australia.
In contrast to previous year, Victor Wembanyama was the obvious No. 1 overall pick for the Atlanta Hawks in the 2024 NBA Draft. 1 get, there is not a discussion leading choose this year. But the person favored to get No. 1 is another European center, 7- feet- 1 Alex Sarr.
Sarr's journey to the NBA has been special. At age 14, he began his professional career in Spain and France before moving to the United States, where his older sibling, Olivier, played college baseball at Wake Forest and Kentucky before becoming an undrafted in 2021. ( Olivier Sarr played for the G League's Oklahoma City Blue this season. )
Alex Sarr joined Overtime Elite's jeep- master program for two years, and next spring he made the 12, 000- mile move to Perth, Australia, to perform for the Wildcats in the National Basketball League as part of the NBL's Second Stars program.
" The expert route only suits me better as a person and has helped me develop my match much", Alex Sarr told Yahoo Sports next fall. " The distance allows me more flexibility and flexibility, so that's why I chose to play in the NBL and no school".
Sarr and his colleagues traveled to Las Vegas last September to play two exhibition game against the G League Ignite. Sarr, Burn forward Matas Buzelis and Ron Holland, both three projected jackpot picks, were seen by more than 200 scouts and executives in the market. In the first sport, Sarr finished with 17 items, seven touchdowns and six stones in 29 moments. In the following activity, he looked perhaps more comfortable, coming off the couch and posting 26 points, 10 rebounds and six blocks in a 127- 112 earn.
This was Sarr's coming out party. In those two games, he made a powerful statement and left a lasting impression that would continue to this year.
THIS SEQUENCE 😤2024 NBA Draft prospect Alexandre Sarr elevates on BOTH ends of the floor! @gleagueignite vs. @PerthWildcats live now on the NBA App: https ://t.co/Rn8EutCkkP pic. twitter.com/fJ74XdOMix
— NBA ( @NBA ) September 7, 2023
An NBA scout told Yahoo Sports that" there were times" during which he was the best player on the court. " A two- way player who showed everyone that he's more than just a rim protector".
Perth finished third overall in the NBL regular season with an 18-13 record, and Sarr continued to contribute. Even though he showed enough to be regarded as a lock as a top-five draft prospect, the versatile center never thought about ending the season early despite suffering stretches with minor injuries.
" Not finishing the season never crossed my mind, not once", Sarr told Yahoo Sports in November. " I'm going to play this team until the end," he declared. I came here to get better and improve, and you can only improve if you're on the court playing against real competition".
Sarr averaged 9.6 points, 4.5 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 18 minutes off the bench. All season long, he scored in a variety of ways, whether it was taking players off the dribble, catching lobs off the roll, or in transition. Defensively, he is one of the best shot blockers in this draft class and can shoot the gap, deflect passes and alter shots with his 7- 5 wingspan.
In Melbourne, Australia checking in on potential No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft, Alex Sarr. Sold out crowd for Melbourne United vs. Perth Wildcats. ( Random note: Todd Gurley is here sitting courtside ) pic. twitter.com/gLF5WkkmP9
— Krysten Peek ( @krystenpeek ) November 6, 2023
" The NBA is evolving and becoming more positionless, so even at my size, I have to be able to guard every position and feel comfortable with the ball in my hands", Sarr said. " I feel like I've always been able to play on the perimeter, and it's not something I've done in the past to try to play outside of the paint."
Because of his limited playing time with Perth, for the scouts who made the long trip to see Sarr play, it was a smaller sample size. However, the 19-year-old appeared strong in the agility and shooting drills and showed promise at the NBA Draft Combine in Chicago. He is unlikely to meet and work out for a few teams that fall within the top five and does not participate in the five-on-five scrimmages.
Sarr, who spent two years with Overtime Elite in Atlanta and claimed to have attended several Hawks games but has never met any of the players personally, said," I just want to show NBA scouts how impactful I can be on the court, on or off the ball." With my rim protection, high motor, and shot creation, I believe my versatility sets me apart from other bigs in this draft.
Most consider the 2024 draft class to be weak. No one knows whether that will be pick No, despite the fact that great players will emerge. 1 or pick No. 35. But Sarr's versatility as an inside-out, two-way player and his 7-to-1 upside put him in the same category as young hybrid centers like Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren.
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