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The Washington Wizards didn't draft Alex Sarr No. 2 overall for his three-point shooting, but he's been hot from deep so far this preseason. The French international is 7-for-12 from long range through three games, making at least two in each contest.
However, Wizards coach Brian Keefe wants Sarr to focus on what's most important.
Wizards head coach Brian Keefe on what he wants Alex Sarr to focus on:
“Defense, defense, defense”#wizards pic.twitter.com/lP0jYC3NV0
— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) October 13, 2024
“He's made 'em [his shots], so it's great. He stretches the floor and he's been working really hard on that,” Keefe said. “But again, number one thing is defense. Defense, defense, defense.”
While Sarr's shooting is an undeniable asset, Washington primarily needs him to protect the rim and help on the perimeter defensively. Luckily, the seven-footer has excelled on those fronts too, with five blocks and plenty of impactful moments that don't show up on the stat sheet.
One of those instances happened during Washington's opening game against the Toronto Raptors on October 6th, via The Athletic's Josh Robbins.
“Raptors guard Jamal Shead rejects a screen from teammate Kelly Olynyk and attempts to blow by the Wizards’ Bub Carrington,” Robbins said. “Sarr, who had been guarding Olynyk, helps Carrington on Shead’s foray toward the basket, and Sarr has no problem matching Shead stride-for-stride.”
“With the path to the hoop obstructed, Shead winds up kicking the ball back to Olynyk for a wide-open, feet-set 3 from the top of the arc, which is a bad shot to give up,” Robbins continued. “But, at the same time, Sarr demonstrated his foot speed and his agility, and he showed a capability that Washington’s defense can employ in the future.”
Sarr's ability to simultaneously shut down big men and help on faster guards will undoubtedly help a Wizards team that had the NBA's third-worst defensive rating last season.
“It’s probably why we drafted him. This is some of the gifts that he has, right?” Keefe said after that game. “This is why we keep talking about his defensive versatility to be able to guard on the perimeter guards and then being able to play down low and protect the rim against bigs.”
Sarr is still a work in progress, but the early signs are promising.
“He’s going to learn. There’s still a lot for him to learn,” Keefe continued. “So, these are just the first couple of steps, but those are the things we’re going to keep focusing on.”
What is Sarr's ceiling based on what he's shown thus far?
Alex Sarr could be a force on both ends for Wizards
The results of three preseason games should never be taken as gospel, but they do show elements of what teams are capable of. In Sarr's case, he's been both a red-hot stretch four and a defensive anchor.
Washington fans should expect peaks and valleys from the 19-year-old once the regular season starts, though, as game intensity increases and the grind of the constant action wears on him. With that being said, Sarr has shown exciting signs.
The former Australian National Basketball League player struggled shooting in the Summer League, finishing just 9-for-47 from the floor, including a 0-for-15 outing. However, Sarr's preseason thus far indicates that that was clearly an outlier performance.
Once Sarr hones his skills for multiple seasons, the flashes he's showing now could blossom into consistent All-Star-level play. Add in further development from the likes of Bilal Coulibaly, Bub Carrington, and Kyshawn George, and the Wizards will be a problem down the line.
