Victor Wembanyama was the standout player in last year’s draft.
In 2023, the San Antonio Spurs were the envy of every NBA team after hitting the jackpot and securing the No.1 pick.
The Spurs used that top pick on generational superstar Wemby, who had the same level of hype as a rookie LeBron James and broke all sorts of records en route to a Rookie of the Year campaign.
The class of 2024, however, is as wide-open as one has been in several years, with no obvious front-runner projected to go first off the board.
Enter Alex Sarr, a 7ft 1in center who could follow in Wemby’s footsteps as the next French big man to dominate the NBA Draft as the first overall selection.
19-year-old Sarr was born in Bordeaux, France, and is part of a family of hoopers.
His father is a former professional basketball player from Senegal, while his older brother, Olivier, is a player for the Oklahoma City Thunder.
The towering center played two years in Real Madrid’s youth team – just like Mavs star Luka Doncic – and spent another two years in Overtime Elite, a basketball league based in Atlanta, Georgia, for 16–20-year-olds.
In 2023, Sarr signed with the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), and played there until recently declaring for the 2024 NBA Draft.
The teenager has also suited up for his country, helping France earn bronze at the 2022 FIBA U17 World Cup and silver at the 2023 FIBA U19 World Cup.
He may even line up next to Wemby for France in this summer’s Paris Olympics.
According to the latest mock drafts, Sarr “is a difference-maker on defense who covers a ton of ground with his arms and quick feet, similar to bigs such as Memphis’ Jaren Jackson Jr., Cleveland’s Evan Mobley and Brooklyn’s Nic Claxton.”
He can serve as an anchor on defense and help erase deficiencies but there are some question marks over his offensive skillset and lack of outside shooting.
Sarr could well be the first pick in June’s draft but faces stiff competition from the likes of NBA G League Ignite star Ron Holland, JL Bourg wing Zaccharie Risacher and UConn center Donovan Clingan.
Whoever goes No. 1 overall will likely head to the Atlanta Hawks after they secured the top pick in this year’s draft – for the first time in franchise history – at the NBA Draft Lottery on Sunday.
Atlanta had just a 3% chance to win the No. 1 pick but moved up nine spots to No. 1, the second-largest leap in lottery history.
At the moment it’s unclear who the Hawks will target.
That largely comes down to what they plan to do with All-Star guard Trae Young, who continues to be at the center of trade speculation.
If they do decide to go for Sarr, they might just be getting the next great international star – despite the fact fans have never heard of him before.
“Why is this the first i’ve heard of this kid,” wrote one fan.
“Why is NOBODY talking about this dude ??” posted another.
“Just hearing his name for the first time,” someone else responded.
“If Alexandre Sarr played college basketball instead of professionally, he would be the clear best prospect in the NBA Draft,” posted another.
“Most people haven’t had a chance to watch him yet. Give it some time, he will be drawing Wembanyama-level hype by the time the draft comes around.
“is France making these guys in a lab or?” a fourth joked, referencing Wemby.
If Sarr is even half the player Wembanyama is, one lucky team will have a serious player on their hands for the foreseeable future.
News Summary:
- Meet the giant 7ft French star who could be next Victor Wembanyama and go No.1 overall in 2024 NBA Draft – even though fans have never heard of him
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