Wizards May Have Scary Big Man Duo As Alex Sarr Improves

With Alex Sarr, the Wizards may have found its budding big man star, and now the biggest question is what happens when that star gets to play next to a motivated hall of fame talent like Anthony Davis.

The pairing of Sarr and Davis could be special because of how complementary their games are, particularly on the defensive end. Before Davis arrived, the best big man Sarr had played alongside in his NBA career was Jonas Valanciunas, who spent just 49 games with Washington and averaged 8.2 rebounds per game during that short stint. Now, Sarr gets the opportunity to play next to one of the greatest defensive big men of his generation. No offense to Jonas but that’s an insane upgrade, especially defensively.

The defensive possibilities are ridiculous. Sarr averaged two blocks per game in only 27.2 minutes last season, while Davis averaged 1.7 blocks per game in 2025-26. Sarr also held opponents to just 52 percent shooting at the rim, a mark that places him in the 90th percentile among NBA players. Put those two players on the floor together and Washington could potentially have two elite rim protectors terrorizing the opposing team at the same time.

And they do it in different ways. Sarr has the mobility to step out toward the perimeter, switch onto smaller players and use his length to contest shots. Davis can operate more as the traditional backline defender and roaming shot blocker, where he has historically been insanely good at. Against teams featuring dominant centers such as Nikola Jokic or Joel Embiid, Washington could have the luxury of throwing two different defensive problems at them, with Davis and his physicality, and Sarr with his mobility and flexibility.

Offensively, there is another reason to be excited about Sarr’s development. His improvement around the basket from his rookie season was significant. His shooting at the rim improved from 69.5 percent to 75.6 percent, while his percentages from 3-to-10 feet improved from 36 percent to 42.9 percent and from 10-to-16 feet from 32 percent to 38.2 percent. His three point shooting also improved from 30.8 percent to 33.3 percent.

Sarr also became more physical on the glass. His total rebound percentage jumped from 12.5 percent to 14.6 percent, another indication that he is becoming more comfortable with the physicality of the NBA.

In my opinion, the biggest benefit of playing next to Davis might not be the shots Sarr receives from Davis. It could be the easy shots Davis creates for him. Davis commands an enormous amount of defensive attention, and when two defenders collapse on him, Sarr’s combination of size and shooting gives Davis a massive french target to find. Even at the crisp age of 33, Davis still has enough gravity to command two defenders and Sarr should be able to benefit from that.

Sarr also shot 34.1 percent on catch and shoot threes last season, which is decent enough to prevent defenses from completely abandoning him. If he continues improving as a shooter, Davis’ gravity could create even cleaner looks.

There is also more playmaking here than people might expect. Davis averaged 2.8 assists per game last season, while Sarr averaged 2.7. That gives the seven foot duo a combined 5.5 assists per game. Now I am not saying that either of them are a Jokic level passer, but both can definitely make plays from the interior, find cutters and punish defenses that overcommit.

Lastly, last year Sarr and Davis combined for 36.7 points, 18.5 rebounds and 3.7 blocks per game. That 3.7 blocks would put them ahead of other intriguing frontcourt combinations such as Evan Mobley and Jarrett Allen, Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, and Bam Adebayo and Kel’el Ware. Only Victor Wembanyama and Luke Kornet’s combination would be higher in the comparison, largely because Wembanyama is, well, a freaking alien.

Sarr still has plenty to prove, especially coming off an offseason surgery for a fractured right foot, but his development is trending in the right direction. Davis brings star production, defensive dominance and gravity, while Sarr brings length, mobility, shooting potential and versatility.

The Wizards may have something really special brewing with these two. If Sarr continues developing and Davis stays healthy, Washington could eventually have one of the most unique and dangerous big man duos in the NBA.