Wizards rookie Alex Sarr showed an aggressiveness Wednesday that hasn't always been a part of his game during his rookie season. (Reggie Hildred/IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect)
Despite standing 7 feet, Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr has spent much of his rookie season finding it difficult to score in the paint. The Frenchman’s adjustment to the physical nature of the NBA has been reflected most in his struggles to score at the rim.
But in a 125-122 win over the Utah Jazz on Wednesday at Capital One Arena, Sarr showed signs of growth. The rookie scored 21 points and missed just one of his seven shots in the paint, displaying a willingness to initiate — and play through — contact near the basket.
“Definitely just trying to be aggressive,” Sarr said, “get some easy ones around the rim before spacing out*.”*
Wizards Coach Brian Keefe distilled what he wanted Sarr to take from the performance in simple terms: “Be aggressive, establish yourself early in the paint,” Keefe said. “That collapses the defense. He’s such a good passer, that’s going to lead to him finding other guys.”
Sarr added four assists, five rebounds and two blocks.
Even with the win, Washington (12-49) remains 2½ games ahead of Utah (15-47) in the chase for the best odds in the draft lottery, with both squads vying for the top pick.
Under the NBA’s revamped lottery system, the worst three teams each get an equal chance at the top four picks — with a 14 percent chance at the first overall pick. But finishing worst means you can fall to no worse than the fifth pick, the second-worst team can drop to sixth and third-worst to seventh.
Sarr, taken No. 2 overall in June’s draft, shot 8 for 12 against Utah, showing an efficiency absent from his game for much of the season. The rookie came in with the lowest true shooting percentage (which factors in the added value of three-pointers and free throws) among players 6-10 or taller who have played at least 40 games.
Part of that comes because the Wizards have given Sarr license to shoot from three. Sarr, even after going 2 for 4 against Utah, is shooting just 31.4 percent from deep. Nevertheless, the team believes in-game repetitions could fuel development.
That outside-in approach also means Sarr entered Wednesday’s game in the 12th percentile among big men in the percentage of his shots that come at the rim, per Cleaning the Glass.
He is in the 48th percentile in his shooting percentage at the rim. Sarr entered Wednesday making just 35.1 percent of his layups, per NBA.com. Earlier this season, he said Wizards coaches worked with him on playing with force and establishing contact inside in a hunt for easier baskets.
Sarr entered Wednesday’s game in the 19th percentile among big men in the percentage of shot attempts that he drew fouls on and in the 14th percentile on the percentage of his shots he converted into and-ones.
He took four free throws against the Jazz and played with real force inside. It started early, with Sarr ignoring the defense of 6-5 guard Johnny Juzang for a slam in the first quarter.
The one-hand slam from the rook 🔥 pic.twitter.com/iE6m2a9Cd2
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) March 6, 2025
Sarr’s most impressive finish may have come in the second quarter. He caught the ball while rolling to the rim, bumped his defender and finished with his left hand.
“I haven’t done that much. I’ve been working on that, bumping and using my left,” he said. “ … I think it can give me more easy buckets.”
Sarr found repeated success as the screener in pick and rolls against Utah, a situation where he has struggled. In mid-December, he was averaging just 0.49 points per possession as the roller, per NBA.com, by far the worst in the league among players with 40 possessions. He is now tied for worst but had jumped to 0.73 points per possession entering Wednesday’s game.
“He can roll and pop and he can play make out of both. He can play make in the short roll. He can play make on the pop,” Keefe said. “These are unique skill sets for a guy of his size. This is why we have him.”
Poole out again
Jordan Poole missed his third straight game with a right elbow hyperextension. Keefe said before the game that the 25-year-old guard did some on-court work, including shooting, on Wednesday. A factor in Poole’s recovery is his comfort in his shooting motion, per Keefe. …
Richaun Holmes missed his first game since late January with a left knee contusion. Malcolm Brogdon missed his seventh straight game with a left ankle sprain.