Inside The Wizards

Wizards Rookie Seeing Shooting Improvement

The Washington Wizards are seeing their rookie get better.

Jeremy Brener

Dec 19, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) shoots the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (30) looks on in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
Dec 19, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alexandre Sarr (20) shoots the ball as Charlotte Hornets guard Seth Curry (30) looks on in the third quarter at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
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Washington Wizards rookie Alex Sarr came into the league as the No. 2 overall pick because of his potential on defense.

In order to become a more complete player, Sarr knew he needed to learn how to shoot more efficiently. In the Las Vegas Summer League, Sarr was infamously roasted for going 0 of 15, including seven misses from downtown.

However, he has come a long way since then and is emerging as a 3-point threat for the Wizards.

"Bilal Coulibaly and Bub Carrington and even Jordan Poole have received plenty of kudos for extended stretches featuring positive developments. Coulibaly, specifically, remains tantalizing even as his efficiency has dipped," Bleacher Report contributor Dan Favale writes.

"Sarr wins out here because of how confusing he has seemed on offense. What is he long-term? None of us can be sure. But he's drilling 37.5 percent of his 4.0 three-point attempts per game in December.

"Small samples aren't necessarily telltale of anything. Let's all agree, in this case, not to care."

Sarr has made multiple 3-pointers in each of the last three games, making an efficient 7 of 16 from downtown.

Sarr still has a long way to go towards becoming a consistent 3-point threat, but his early returns have proven to be a promising sign for what could be coming around the corner.

Sarr has plenty of time towards becoming a franchise cornerstone for the Wizards, and if he continues to improve at this trajectory, he could become exactly what the team needed as the first top-three pick of the team's rebuild.

Sarr and the Wizards are back in action tonight as they take on Giannis Antetokounmpo, Damian Lillard and the NBA Cup champion Milwaukee Bucks. Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET inside Fiserv Forum.

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Jeremy Brener
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.

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