This year’s draft class has a couple of international prospects at the top of the board who will be introduced to the broader basketball world on draft day.
Alexandre Sarr headlines that group as the potential No. 1 pick in the 2024 NBA Draft.
Even as a projected top pick, Sarr is relatively unknown because of his unique path to the league. Instead of taking the college basketball route, the 19-year-old French center made stops in the “Overtime Elite” professional league and Australia’s NBL “Next Stars” program before declaring for the NBA Draft.
Who is Sarr and what will he bring to the team that selects him? The Sporting News takes a closer look below.
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Who is Alex Sarr?
Sarr is a 19-year-old French prospect who could go No. 1 overall to the Hawks in the 2024 NBA Draft. He is a 7-foot center with a 7-4.25 wingspan and 9-2 standing reach, according to his NBA Draft Combine measurements.
Sarr is largely unknown because of his unorthodox path to the NBA.
Despite his young age, Sarr has already played in three professional leagues before declaring for the NBA Draft. He was a part of Real Madrid’s youth program before he moved to Atlanta in 2021 to join the newly established “Overtime Elite” league that produced top-five picks like Amen and Ausar Thompson.
The Sporting News’ Gilbert McGregor profiled Sarr ahead of his second OTE season back in 2022.
OTE paid Sarr $100,000 over two seasons, where he earned All-OTE Second Team honors. Just 18 years old after that contract was up, Sarr elected to take his talents back overseas.
For the 2023-24 season, Sarr joined Australia’s NBL “Next Stars” program that produced top picks like LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey. Sarr played a key role in helping the Perth Wildcats reach the NBL Semifinals, elevating his NBA Draft stock to the point that he is in consideration for the No. 1 overall pick.
Sarr’s older brother, Olivier, played college basketball at Wake Forest and Kentucky before signing with the Thunder as an undrafted free agent in 2021.
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Alex Sarr stats
Sarr’s stats might not look like that of a potential No. 1 pick, but the rising star center isn’t a primary scorer.
You can find his stats from his final OTE season and rookie NBL season below.
| Year | League | Team | GP | MPG | FG% | 3P% | FT% | RPG | APG | BPG | SPG | PPG |
| 2022-23 | OTE | YNG Dreamerz | 17 | 25.3 | 47.8 | 30.0 | 65.0 | 6.4 | 2.0 | 1.1 | 0.9 | 11.1 |
| 2023-24 | NBL | Perth Wildcats | 27 | 17.3 | 51.6 | 28.6 | 71.0 | 4.3 | 0.9 | 1.5 | 0.4 | 9.4 |
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Alex Sarr Mock Draft projection
Mock Draft projection: No. 1 to Hawks
In a draft class that has more questions than answers, Sarr provides a higher floor than most of his peers.
The 19-year-old impacts the game with his size, length, coordination and athleticism for a 7-footer. He is a mobile rim protector, shot blocker and lob catcher who has shown potential with budding offensive skills on the perimeter and in the post.
Even in a worst-case scenario where his offensive game never develops, he can still make a Dereck Lively II-like impact as a rim-running, high-energy big man.
The Hawks already have two centers in Clint Capela and Onyeka Okongwu but with change on the horizon in Atlanta, it can’t hurt to take the best player available.