Alex Sarr's evolving game explodes with defensive dominance and emerging offensive flashes, hinting at a future impact far beyond his current unpolished form.
When the Washington Wizards selected Alex Sarr number two overall in the 2024 draft, they knew his potential would take time to unlock.
At 19-years-old, Sarr's rookie season featured the flashes Washington hoped to see, but plenty of questions around his game remained. His shot diet was questionable in his rookie season -- easy looks at the rim became heavily contested shots fading away from the basket. Some questioned his motor, others his physicality.
All of these judgements were fair at the time. Some questions still exist, but following his 29 point, six block, two steal performance in Washington's win over Portland, it's hard to put a ceiling on his future.
"His ability to execute multiple coverages throughout the game...it's a really unique skillset he has," Wizards head coach Brian Keefe said. "That's a unique player. He does unique things."
Washington notched 16 steals and 12 blocks in the win. Sarr accounted for 8 of those. Last year, his rim protection stood out as the top aspect of his game. In year two, he's found ways to expand his prowess.
Sarr's 2.2 blocks per game lands him second in the NBA behind Victor Wembanyama.
"I think locking in defensively, getting stops down the end, that was the biggest thing," Sarr said.
Sarr and fellow 2024 draft class center Donovan Clingan had a compelling battle down low all night. Clingan finished with a career-high 20 rebounds, as he and Sarr battled for position all night.
Sarr said he tried to respond with physicality to counter the energy Clingan brought down low.
Sarr's offensive improvement was a massive storyline entering his second season. Could he clean up his efficiency? Would he improve his shot selection? He's done both, but he's still far from a complete product on that end --- which might be scary to think about for opposing defenses.
Sarr scored 29 points on 11-29 shooting. At the surface, that's a pretty inefficient night for Sarr. But that's what makes him so tantalizing. Despite failing to convert on some decent looks, his impact was felt the entire night.
"I always thought he had a good motor, but you have to learn the NBA," Keefe said. "He's just learning to do it consistently now. He's experienced a lot of things, and he's still got some more experiences to come."
It's evident he has a way to go, but with that being said, he's made vast strides as a 20-year-old player. In 2024, he only took 231 shots from less than five feet from the basket in 67 games played. In 2025, he's already at 223 in 36 games. Additionally, he's raised his field goal percentage to 69% on those looks -- a nine percentage point improvement.
Year over year, it's hard to find an area where the French product hasn't improved. In his rookie season, he failed to shoot even 40% from the field, which is poor for someone at his stature. This year, he's shooting 49.8% from the field. There's room for growth, but he's showing why there's reason to believe he'll continue projecting upwards.
"I want to be as impactful as I can be," Sarr said.
Washington has 11 wins this year. In those wins, Sarr's been an impactful force in the nine he's played in. In wins, he's averaging 20.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, and shooting 37.5% from three.
Sarr's stat line was a rare one. He becomes one of three players to record a similar line since 2019.
More on his defense, the eye test stands out. Patience as a shot blocker is massive, and he's discovered the virtue of it. Last night, when smaller guards got into the lane, Sarr knew what to do. Instead of him leaving his feet and committing a foul, he's learned to stand straight up and contest without jumping.
Sarr's abilities landed him a second-straight nod in the NBA Rising Stars game. He joins Tre Johnson and Kyshawn George.
“Excited, just for the experience and to be out there, to be honest. It’s a blessing," Sarr said.