Alex Sarr Sets Wizards' Record Through Three Games

Washington’s No. 2 pick hasn’t seen a sparkling start, but has been impressive on the defensive end of the court.
Oct 24, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) reaches for the ball in front of Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Oct 24, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) reaches for the ball in front of Boston Celtics guard Jaylen Brown (7) in the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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As the 2024 NBA Draft neared back in June, longtime smoke became fire as the Hawks No. 1 pick was racing towards becoming Zaccharie Risacher.

This came as both surprise and excitement to the Wizards front office and fans, who would eventually be able to select the long-projected No. 1 pick in France’s Alex Sarr at No. 2. 

Since his drafting, Sarr has seen a rollercoaster of performances, seeing both the highs and lows of pro success across Summer League, preseason and now the regular season. While he’s been inefficient as a scorer, he’s continuing to hang his hat on the defensive end of the court. Through his initial three games, he’s now set the franchise record with 2-plus blocks in each.

Per Chase Hughes on X, the last player to do so was Joel Embiid in 2016 in four games, the record-holder being an all-time great in Shaquille O’Neal, who boasted 23-straight games.

Sarr finished with two in each games versus the Celtics, Cavaliers and Hawks, earning a steal in the latter two. And even more than the stat sheet, the Frenchman’s defense has passed the eye test, too.

Simply put, Sarr looks like the defensive prototype of the modern NBA. A 7-foot-1 center able to easily glide on the wing, switch defenders and put a lid on the rim in the post.

His offense is a clear work in progress: just 29% from the field as a forward-center hybrid — even one as fresh as Sarr — is downright abysmal. But the former New Zealand Breaker has always been a bit of a project scorer.

If he can continue to maintain his strong defense while growing on the offensive end, the Wizards will have shored up their center spot with a player who fits the bills as a modern player.


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Derek Parker
DEREK PARKER

Derek is co-founder and publisher for Draft Digest and Inside The Thunder for Fan Nation, powered by Sports Illustrated. He has been a sports writer in the Oklahoma City market for five years now, primarily covering the NBA Draft and the Oklahoma City Thunder.