Alexandre Dam Sarr (/sɑːr/ SAR, French pronunciation: [alɛksɑ̃dʁ saʁ]; born 26 April 2005) is a French professional basketball player for the Washington Wizards of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played for the French youth national team and the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) prior to being selected second overall by the Wizards in the 2024 NBA draft. He is the younger brother of basketball player Olivier Sarr.
No. 20 – Washington Wizards | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Position | Center | ||||||||||||||||||||
League | NBA | ||||||||||||||||||||
Personal information | |||||||||||||||||||||
Born | Bordeaux, France | 26 April 2005||||||||||||||||||||
Listed height | 7 ft 0 in (2.13 m) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Listed weight | 205 lb (93 kg) | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career information | |||||||||||||||||||||
NBA draft | 2024: 1st round, 2nd overall pick | ||||||||||||||||||||
Selected by the Washington Wizards | |||||||||||||||||||||
Playing career | 2021–present | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career history | |||||||||||||||||||||
2021–2022 | Team Overtime | ||||||||||||||||||||
2022–2023 | YNG Dreamerz | ||||||||||||||||||||
2023–2024 | Perth Wildcats | ||||||||||||||||||||
2024–present | Washington Wizards | ||||||||||||||||||||
Career highlights and awards | |||||||||||||||||||||
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Stats at NBA.com | |||||||||||||||||||||
Medals
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Early life
editSarr was born on 26 April 2005 in Bordeaux, France.[1][2] He grew up in a family of basketball players, initially in Bordeaux and then later Toulouse.[3] He started playing basketball at the age of four.[4] In 2019, Sarr joined the Spanish club Real Madrid Baloncesto and played two seasons for their youth team.[5][6]
Professional career
editOvertime Elite (2021–2023)
editIn 2021, Sarr moved to the United States to join the newly established Overtime Elite league in Atlanta, securing him an alternative professional pathway with a guaranteed minimum salary of at least $100,000 per year.[5][7] He played two seasons at Overtime Elite, the first with Team Overtime[8] and the second with YNG Dreamerz.[9] He earned second-team All-OTE honours in 2022–23.[10]
Perth Wildcats (2023–2024)
editOn 9 May 2023, Sarr signed with the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), joining the team as part of the league's Next Stars program for the 2023–24 season.[6][11] He entered the season as a highly touted draft prospect.[12] On 28 December, he sustained a hip strain in a game against the Adelaide 36ers and subsequently missed the next four weeks.[13][14][15] On 27 January 2024, he recorded a new career record, scoring 18 points and five blocks in a 103–91 win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix.[16] He finished the season with averages of 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.9 assists in 17 minutes per game,[17][18][19] helping Perth reach the NBL play-off semifinals.[18]
Washington Wizards (2024–present)
editOn 12 April 2024, Sarr announced that he had declared for the 2024 NBA draft;[18] his entry was confirmed by the NBA on 2 May.[20] On 26 June, Sarr was selected with the second overall pick by the Washington Wizards.[19][21] It was the Wizards' highest selection in 14 years.[21] He was picked alongside fellow Frenchmen Zaccharie Risacher (drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the first overall pick) and Tidjane Salaün (drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the sixth pick), making France the first foreign nation to have at least three native players picked in the top 10 spots of any NBA draft.[19][22] On 6 July, Sarr signed a rookie-scale contract with the Wizards.[23] He made his NBA Summer League debut on 12 July, putting up 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in a 94–88 win over the Atlanta Hawks.[24] In his second Summer League game on 16 July, he went scoreless on 0-for-15 shooting from the field while putting up nine rebounds and three assists in an 82–80 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.[25] He ended Summer League play after playing 118 minutes over four summer games, shooting a combined 9 of 47 from the field, scoring 22 points, along with 31 rebounds, 13 assists, and 10 blocks.[26][27]
National team career
editIn 2021, Sarr debuted for the French junior national team[28] and helped them win the FIBA U16 European Challengers.[29] He helped France earn bronze at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup[6] and silver at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup.[30][31]
Career statistics
editGP | Games played | GS | Games started | MPG | Minutes per game |
FG% | Field goal percentage | 3P% | 3-point field goal percentage | FT% | Free throw percentage |
RPG | Rebounds per game | APG | Assists per game | SPG | Steals per game |
BPG | Blocks per game | PPG | Points per game | Bold | Career high |
NBL
editYear | Team | GP | GS | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | SPG | BPG | PPG |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2023–24 | Perth | 27 | 0 | 17.3 | .516 | .286 | .710 | 4.3 | .9 | .4 | 1.5 | 9.4 |
Personal life
editSarr is of Senegalese descent.[32] His father Massar is a former professional basketball player from Senegal, while his older brother Olivier played for the NBA's Oklahoma City Thunder.[7][18]
References
edit- ^ "Alexandre Dam SARR". fiba.basketball. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ Akinsola, Luke (21 November 2023). "Beyond the Hardwood: Frenchman Alex Sarr drawing international attention". NBA.com. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023.
- ^ Pantel-Jouve, Gabriel (9 May 2023). "Alexandre Sarr va démarrer sa carrière à Perth, en Australie". bebasket.fr (in French). Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ "ALEX SARR - We Got Next". YouTube. Perth Wildcats. 22 September 2023. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
- ^ a b "Ex-Real Madrid prospect Alexandre Sarr is the first European οf Overtime Elite League". eurohoops.net. 1 July 2021. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ a b c "French sensation Alexandre Sarr joins the Perth Wildcats". Wildcats.com. 9 May 2023. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ a b Zagoria, Adam (1 July 2021). "Overtime Elite League Signs First European Player In Alexandre Sarr". Forbes.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023. Retrieved 28 June 2024.
- ^ "Team Overtime". overtimeelite.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2022. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
- ^ "YNG Dreamerz". overtimeelite.com. Archived from the original on 29 May 2023.
- ^ "Alexandre Sarr". overtimeelite.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ Robinson, Chris (9 May 2023). "Alexandre Sarr: Perth Wildcats sign French teenager on Next Stars deal". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (23 September 2023). "NBA scouts vow to be in Australia all season watching Perth Wildcats Next Star Alex Sarr playing in NBL". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 23 September 2023. Retrieved 25 September 2023.
- ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (6 January 2024). "Perth Wildcat Alex Sarr and potential NBA number one pick set to spend time on the sidelines with injury". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 6 January 2024. Retrieved 6 January 2024.
- ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (12 January 2024). "Perth Wildcat Alex Sarr is only one week away from returning from a hip injury in huge boost for club". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 12 January 2024. Retrieved 12 January 2024.
- ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (24 January 2024). "Perth Wildcats' Next Star Alex Sarr to return to NBL action during game against Illawarra Hawks". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ O'Donoghue, Craig (27 January 2024). "Perth Wildcats beat South East Melbourne Phoenix to clinch NBL finals spot as Alex Sarr has a night out". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 27 January 2024. Retrieved 27 January 2024.
- ^ "NBL24 season review - Alex Sarr". Wildcats.com.au. 28 March 2024. Archived from the original on 28 March 2024.
- ^ a b c d Givony, Jonathan (13 April 2024). "Alex Sarr, projected top-3 pick, declares for 2024 NBA draft". ESPN.com.au. ESPN. Archived from the original on 13 April 2024. Retrieved 13 April 2024.
- ^ a b c "NBA Draft: French players Risacher, Sarr and Salaün make history in New York". Le Monde. 27 June 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ "NBA announces early entry candidates for NBA Draft 2024". NBA.com. 2 May 2024. Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ a b Trister, Noah (26 June 2024). "Washington Wizards take French 7-footer Alex Sarr with the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft". Associated Press. Archived from the original on 27 June 2024. Retrieved 26 June 2024.
- ^ Delafolie, Gaëtan (27 June 2024). "Risacher et Sarr au sommet, Salaün dans le top 10 : draft NBA historique pour la France". L'Équipe (in French). Retrieved 27 June 2024.
- ^ Adams, Luke (6 July 2024). "Wizards Sign First-Rounders Alex Sarr, Kyshawn George". HoopsRumors.com. Retrieved 14 July 2024.
- ^ Postrado, Jay (16 July 2024). "Wizards' Alex Sarr names 3 players he studied for his defense". ClutchPoints. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ Sampson, Peter (16 July 2024). "Wizards' Alex Sarr gets mercilessly roasted amid hideous Summer League game numbers". ClutchPoints. Retrieved 19 July 2024.
- ^ "2024 NBA2K25 Summer League Roster | NBA.com". www.nba.com. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ Hollinger, John. "Hollinger: How French rookies (and many others) struggled in Las Vegas". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 24 August 2024.
- ^ "Alexandre Dam Sarr". fiba.basketball. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ Feldman, Joseph (2 May 2022). "Sarr Named to U17 French National Team Select". overtimeelite.com. Archived from the original on 9 May 2023.
- ^ "Spain on top of the world again – outlast France in OT thriller for second title". fiba.basketball. 2 July 2023. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023.
- ^ Woods, Dan (3 July 2023). "Sarr's Star Performance at World Cup". NBL.com.au. Archived from the original on 3 July 2023.
- ^ "NCAA: Olivier Sarr quitte Wake Forest pour rejoindre Kentucky !" (in French). News Basket BeAfrika. 6 May 2020. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
External links
edit- Career statistics and player information from NBA.com and Basketball-Reference.com
- Perth Wildcats profile
- Overtime Elite profile