Since the 2020-21 season, the Washington Wizards have been in a free fall. They’d want their last season to be deleted from the history books. But a ray of hope arose in May. The second pick was theirs. They drafted Alex Sarr, a French big man, who’s expected to cast a magic spell and pull the Wizards up. Originally predicted to be the top pick, Sarr somehow fell to the Wizards, and the choice became an obvious one for the team, selecting him with hopes that he could develop into their future power forward.

As soon as their names are called, NBA rookies secure millions. The new CBA between the league and its players determines the salary for every first-round pick using the “rookie wage scale,” which heavily depends on their draft position.

Spotrac reports that Sarr is set to sign a four-year contract with the Wizards valued at $51.1 million. This deal guarantees $23 million over the first two years, with two club options included. For his rookie year, Sarr will earn a salary of $11.2 million. A top prospect in the 2024 class, Sarr enters the league after playing with the Perth Wildcats in Australia’s NBL. Raised in France, Sarr also competed for Overtime Elite from 2021 to 2023, where he excelled in the paint and solidified his reputation before making the leap to the NBA.

Sarr averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game this past season, making him a top prospect largely due to his 7’1” height and impressive wingspan. During his final year at Overtime Elite, he earned a spot on the All-OTE Second Team, putting up 11.1 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks per game, further solidifying his status ahead of the draft. But his start to life in the NBA hasn’t been ideal.

Alex Sarr’s shaky start in the NBA

Sarr delivered a disappointing performance at the NBA 2K25 Summer League. Sarr missed all 15 of the shots that he took in the 2nd game! It was a nightmare for him. But his preseason performance hasn’t been too bad. Last week on Sunday, the big man recorded 15 points, and 3 rebounds and blocked one shot. This performance is nothing home to write about but instills faith in the Wizards fans.

Sarr’s blend of athleticism, youth, and size makes him a promising defensive asset, but many predict he’ll face some obstacles while adjusting to the NBA’s faster pace and higher level of skill. His shooting range adds to his potential, though he struggled from beyond the arc last season, hitting just 27.6% of his threes in the NBL. Despite these challenges, Sarr has the ability to become an impactful rim protector and stretch big over time, though his development will require patience.

“If he becomes that Dereck Lively type of player, that’s a win. Especially in a draft like this year’s, that’s a huge win,” said one of the scouts of a top team speaking with The Athletic on the condition of anonymity. Dereck Lively II played a key defensive and lob threat role for the Dallas Mavericks who were last season’s runner-ups.

The Wizards are putting a strong emphasis on developing their young players, with Sarr and his draft classmate Bub Carrington at the center of that focus. Right now, player growth is the top priority, meaning victories will be more of an added bonus than a necessity. However, with Jonas Valanciunas on the roster, Sarr will get fewer minutes on the court, and less time to prove himself. But the priority is to develop him into an elite player.