NBA Analyst Explains Wizards Rookie's Slow Offense

Alex Sarr is off to a slow start on offense for the Washington Wizards.

Jeremy Brener | Nov 2, 2024

Oct 11, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) drives to the basket as Toronto Raptors center Jakob Poeltl (19) in the second quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

In this story:

Washington Wizards

Washington Wizards big man Alex Sarr came into the league with a ton of upside, especially on the defensive end of the floor. However, his offensive game is in need of catching up.

Sarr, 19, is averaging 8.0 points and 6.2 rebounds per game, which aren't eye-popping numbers for the Wizards.

Granted, it's only been a few games and there aren't any expectations of him being a superstar out of the gate, but CBS Sports writer Jasmyn Wimbish pointed out Sarr's slow offensive start.

"Sarr's offensive game may take longer to develop in part because of the roster around him right now," Wimbish wrote. "His two lead guards, Jordan Poole and fellow rookie Bub Carrington, aren't exactly equipped to help him develop, and the Wizards aren't an organization known for growing talent. It may be awhile before Sarr is contributing significantly on offense, but the silver lining is he's shown promise on defense out of the gates. He's third among rookies in total blocks, already showing he can be a quality rim protector at this level."

Sarr isn't in the greatest position to succeed on the offensive end, and that's okay. He will learn as he goes.

Sarr showed how much his offensive game needed work in the Las Vegas Summer League, where he was incredibly inefficient shooting-wise. He has grown from that and is respectable at this moment in time, but more development is needed.

There are a lot of mouths to feed for the Wizards both in terms of reps and points, and Sarr isn't exactly the top priority for either of those things. This means that Sarr has to take advantage of opportunities when they are presented to him, and if he can, his numbers will eventually begin to look like those of a former No. 2 overall pick.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!

Published Nov 2, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.