Game one of the Wizards preseason saw Washington fall to the Toronto Raptors 98-125.
Jordan Poole led the team with 16 points and six assists in his first game as the starting point guard. But the player who looked impressive out there was Alex Sarr.
Starting the game at power forward, Sarr looked confused, hovering around the perimeter. But when Jonas Valančiūnas got into foul trouble, Sarr was moved to center and looked far more comfortable. He finished the game with 15 points on 6-of-8 shooting. His three-point shooting was a big question mark after his performance during Summer League. On Sunday night, he connected on three makes from behind the arc, on four attempts. The shot looked more fluid and confident.
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The Wizards commentators compared Sarr to Cleveland Cavaliers’ young star, Evan Mobley.
Both players are long, springy bigs who are versatile on defense. Mobley’s defense was his calling card when he first entered the league, being able to hold his own against multiple positions with his length and mobility. Mobley’s offense soon caught up, becoming a reliable lob threat and inside finisher.
Sarr displayed the full arsenal last night. With the ball movement Brian Keefe is looking to implement with the Wizards, Sarr can get a lot of easy looks by just being big and getting to open spots by moving without the basketball.
Sarr struggled on offense during Summer League. He was not looked at as an offensive threat when drafted. He is still a work in progress, being only 19 years old, and hasn’t developed his grown-man body yet. If this previews what’s to come, this two-way Frenchman is ready to take the league by storm.
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