Alex Sarr’s Underwhelming Summer League Shouldn’t Affect his Longterm Outlook

Wizards center Alex Sarr had a bad stretch of games, but is still a high-ceiling prospect.

Jul 12, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (12) competes against the Atlanta Hawks during the second half at Thomas & Mack Center. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports / Lucas Peltier-USA TODAY Sports

After the Hawks ultimately left draft night 2024 with wing Zaccharie Risacher, many thought the Wizards won the night by selecting longtime consensus No. 1 Alex Sarr at No. 2, followed by Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George later on.

And at first glance, they did. At 7-foot-1 with premier defensive ability and an intriguing offensive game featured around rim-running and a potential outside shot, Sarr would’ve been the choice for most at No. 1.

But an unprecedentedly bad Summer League has many re-thinking Washington’s decision, and Sarr as a whole.

In four games played, Sarr shot an abysmal 19% from the field, including just 12% 3-point shooting. At his size, his nine-for-47 mark from the field was historically awful. And the eye-test, which featured plenty of timid play around the rim, backed that up.

The Frenchman’s worst performance of the summer came against Donovan Clingan and the Trail Blazers, where he shot an ice-cold 0-for-15, finishing with 0 points in a bizarre outing.

Despite all of that, Sarr is still a high-level prospect that’s going to be capable of making a positive impact on a nightly basis.

Despite him being No. 1 on most people’s boards, Sarr was and obviously still is a project, especially offensively. And one that will potentially require a few years of development to even reach a passable point. But his size, frame and fluidity continue to be unteachable attributes that could make him an all-world defender, and even down the road, scorer.

While Summer League for Sarr was rough, he’s already put that portion in the rearview mirror, and he luckily has his entire career ahead of him to prove he’s not that player. 

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