“It’s In The Water”: Adam Silver’s Next French Target Has Paul George Astonished As NBA Draft Draws Close

Alexander Sarr, the 19-year-old towering talent from France is the talk of the town as the NBA Draft draws near. On a recent episode of “Podcast P with Paul George,” the Clippers star was taken aback by Sarr’s intimidating height. Sarr is currently projected as the #1 pick in NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s draft this year. The episode offered a look into the development of another NBA star from the same nation that gave birth to Victor Wembanyama, the Rookie of the Year.

George inquired about Sarr’s height on the show, and he made an astounding discovery. “How tall are you?” George asked, to which Sarr replied, “7’1.” A shocked PG said, “7’1 huh? What are they doing in France? It’s in the water? What’s going on?” Take a look at their conversation.

Paul George marvels at Alex Sarr’s towering stature

PG’s comment, “What are they doing in France?” could be a nod to the extraordinary height of Rookie of the Year, Victor Wembenayama, who is French himself. Paul George then enquired about Sarr’s height growing up. “So you always been tall? Like towering over everybody?” he asked. Sarr confirmed, “Yeah, pretty much.”

George said, intrigued by Sarr’s growth, “Where did the skillset come from? You got the ability to, at your size, do everything.” Sarr explained that playing against older people in his early years helped him develop a broad skill set. “I used to play with older guys when I was younger, so I wasn’t always the tallest guy. So, I was more of a wing that couldn’t really use my body to do much, so I had to figure out and try to be faster, stuff like that,” he said.

Sarr’s growth surge gave his story an additional dimension. “I went from 6’8 to 7 foot when I was 14,” Sarr recalled, shocking George and his co-hosts. Sarr added that his brother is also seven feet tall and that his doctor had originally thought he would be taller.

The excitement surrounding French players like Sarr is growing as the draft draws closer. Given that Wembanyama is already having an impact in the NBA. Sarr’s rise indicates that there is still plenty of talent in France. The NBA and Adam Silver are definitely keeping a close eye on their next big star.

Alex Sarr’s projected NBA draft pick

After the NBA Combine, CBS Sports released their mock draft for the 2024 season and much like every other mock, Sarr established himself as #1 pick. He recorded 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game. He is most likely to be acquired by the Atlanta Hawks, who won the #1 pick in the draft lottery.

But the projected #2 pick, Zaccharie Risacher, showed excellent promise recently. If he were to replace Sarr as the #1 pick in the summer, the French player would go to the Washington Wizards, who currently own that pick. At the same time, players like Nikola Topić and Donovan Clingan also seem to be in the running for the top pick. It’s hard to say how this will pan out.

Nonetheless, it is safe to say that Alex Sarr will definitely be among the top 5 picks for the 2024 NBA Draft. His unique combination of height and skills make him a standout prospect and fans are excited to see where he ends up. All eyes are on the French phenomenon as he starts the next chapter of his life.