Sarr’s Summer League struggles continue.
The Washington Wizards lost 80-82 against the Portland Trailblazers in the 2024 NBA 2K25 Summer League at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Sunday (July 17).
For South Korean basketball fans, the main focus of the game was on whether or not Lee Hyun-jung would be able to play for Portland. 메이저사이트 Unfortunately, Lee did not play in the game.
In the U.S., the focus was on Alexandre Sarr, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The 2024 NBA Draft was one of the most notoriously bad drafts in history. Even the No. 1 overall pick was a toss-up. Not in a good way, but in a bad way, because every player was bad.
In this situation, Sarr was considered the most likely No. 1 pick. Sarr has overwhelming physical attributes, with a 6-foot-8 wingspan and a 7-foot-2 height. He showed flashes of potential with his 3-point shooting and dribbling skills. He was also rated as a decent perimeter defender, which is why he was considered worthy of the No. 1 pick.
However, Sarr expressed a desire to go to the No. 2 pick, Washington, rather than the No. 1 overall pick, the Atlanta Hawks. Atlanta has a solid core of big men in Clint Capela, Onyekah Okonkwo, and others, while the Wizards have been without a big man since the departure of Daniel Gafford.
In the end, Sarr got what he wanted: the No. 2 overall pick, and the Wizards were happy with his selection.
However, Sarr hasn’t played up to his No. 2 overall pick at all in Summer League. He had a decent game against Atlanta on Dec. 13 with 12 points and seven rebounds, but struggled against Houston on Dec. 15 with eight points and four rebounds. Against Atlanta, he shot 4 of 12 from the field, a low percentage.
His breakout game came against Portland on Sunday. Sarr had a shocking performance, attempting 15 free throws and missing all of them. Of those 15 shots, seven were three-pointers. He even missed both of his free throws. His final line was 0 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 blocked shots.
His struggles continued. On Dec. 19 against the Sacramento Kings, he had two points, nine rebounds, and three assists. He played 25 minutes and attempted six free throws, making only one. He still looked completely clueless on offense.
Of course, there was a lot of talk from the time he was drafted that he was a project player who would take a long time to develop, but this was a bad game. Both offensively and defensively, it was a cold, non-NBA performance.
The No. 2 overall pick should have shown some potential. After a disappointing Summer League, Washington fans are understandably nervous. Especially since the second overall pick in the NBA Draft has a bad history.
One such player is Hashim Thabeet, the second overall pick in the 2009 NBA Draft. Players drafted later than Thabib include James Harden (#3) and Steph Curry (#7).
Then there’s Darco Milicic from the 2003 NBA Draft. Carmelo Anthony (3rd), Dwyane Wade (5th), and Chris Bosh (4th) were drafted later than Milicic. It’s one of Detroit’s best black histories.
Then there’s Marvin Begley III in the 2018 NBA Draft. At the time, Begley dominated the college scene at Duke University and entered the draft. Sacramento needed a big man to partner with De’Aaron Parks, and Begley seemed like a perfect fit. However, Begley never showed a glimpse of his college form and eventually left Sacramento. Players selected later than Begley include Luka Doncic (No. 3), Jaren Jackson Jr. (No. 4), and Trae Young (No. 5).
More recently, James Wiseman was the No. 2 overall pick in the 2020 NBA Draft. The Golden State Warriors had the No. 2 overall pick at the time due to injuries to key players. The No. 2 pick was invaluable because the Warriors were expecting to get their key players back healthy.
Golden State selected Wiseman. Wiseman entered the draft after playing just three games at the University of Memphis due to injury. Wiseman was a nationally recognized prospect in high school, and Golden State needed a big man, so they took him.
As it turned out, Wiseman was the worst pick of the draft. Wiseman never fit into Golden State’s offense, and his skill set was not NBA ready. Players drafted later than Wiseman include Lamar Ball (#3) and Tyreese Halliburton (#11).
These examples only add to the anxiety around Sarr. Some media outlets are already criticizing him as the next Wiseman. It’s only Summer League, so it’s too early to tell. What is clear is that he needs a lot of playing time and experience.
