By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
Among young stars from Europe expected to dominate the 2024 NBA draft, Alex Sarr opted to join the Perth Wildcats and continue developing as part of the NBL’s Next Star program. His 2023-24 campaign in the league based in Oceania ended on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old center piled up nine points, three rebounds, one block, and one steal over 19 minutes in a losing effort for the Wildcats against the Tasmania JackJumpers. On the wrong end of Game 3 of the best-of-three series, the opponents advanced to the Grand Final. Sarr averaged 9.7 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per contest over 24 appearances.
The NBA draft emerges as the potential next step for the French sensation. An intriguing prospect, he has been labeled as a potential top pick.
The younger brother of Oklahoma City Thunder’s Olivier Sarr went from playing at the junior level for Real Madrid to spending two years in the Overtime Elite, a league focusing on young upstarts and based in Atlanta, before moving his talents to Australia.
Representing France in multiple international junior tournaments over recent summers, Sarr captured a silver medal in the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup and a bronze medal in the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup.
Fellow French upstarts Zaccharie Risacher of JL Bourg and Tidjane Salaun of Cholet, Serbian Nikola Topic of Crvena Zvezda Meridianbet, and Lithuanian Matas Buzelis of G League Ignite are other Europeans projected to be selected early in the next draft.
Photo Credit: FIBA.BASKETBALL