The Atlanta Hawks had a 3% chance at winning the 2024 NBA Draft Lottery, but the stars aligned and they managed to leave with the No. 1 pick. Projected top selection Alexandre Sarr was watching intently and spoke to Andscape about how reacted to the Hawks winning the lottery.
“I’m really excited. I just found out what the order is. It tells me what team I’m going to work out with… The Hawks are an exciting organization. They are trending in the right direction. It’s great that they have the No. 1 pick… I know a little bit about Atlanta. I wasn’t doing much. I was just going to school and was in the gym. It’s a great city.”
Sarr sent a simple message aimed at everyone to solidify his status as the top pick, calling himself a game-changer defensively.
“I bring a lot of versatility. I can really make an impact. I am a game changer defensively.”
This season, Sarr played for the Perth Wildcats in the NBL. In 27 appearances, Sarr averaged 9.4 points, 0.9 assists, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. He also averaged 17.3 minutes per game in the NBL, just under half the total time of the 40-minute games they play (10-minute quarters).
Alexandre Sarr Is Ready For The NBA
Sarr going No. 1 can make it two French centers drafted at No. 1 in back-to-back years. While Sarr isn’t the prospect Victor Wembanyama was, he is highly rated. His elder brother, 21-year-old Olivier Sarr on the OKC Thunder opened up on his brother joining him in the NBA.
“Some of my teammates have talked to me about him, which is always nice. He is coming up more and more in conversations… I’m impressed on how well he is doing. We don’t talk about whether he is nervous today, the games or the chatter. He’s beyond his years. He doesn’t see any pressure at all.”
Sarr’s teammate, Josh Giddey, came into the NBA after a year playing professionally in the NBL like Sarr. Giddey praised Sarr for following the same path and discussed how his positive impact there bodes well for his NBA future.
“I know Perth loves [Alexandre Sarr]. He’s a super-talented kid. It’s a hard league to play in as a young kid… But people have seen that if you can compete in that league from 17, 18, 19, it shows they are going to have a future wherever that is in the world. Obviously, Alex’s talent is as a possible No. 1 pick. [Perth] is really highly regarded and has won a lot of championships. It’s one of the best teams in the league. For him to have an immediate impact on that group speaks volumes of him.”
The Hawks aren’t guaranteed to draft Sarr, but it is looking like a perfect fit. With Trae Young on the roster and a declining Clint Capela, Sarr would be the perfect pick-and-roll lob threat for Young while being a springy athlete on defense. His shot may take a few seasons to translate to the NBA level, but this seems like the move for them.
Even if Young ends up getting traded, this would be a great fit alongside Dejounte Murray as well.
Thank you for being a valued reader of Fadeaway World. If you liked this article, please consider following us on Google News. We really appreciate your support.
