The Washington Wizards used their No. 2 pick to select Alex Sarr in this year’s NBA Draft, and the Frenchman has recently emerged as the betting favorite to win the 2024-25 NBA Rookie of the Year award.
Alex Sarr opened at ESPN BET as the favorite at +350 on Wednesday, which stays the same even if his odds have slipped to +400 on Thursday. Atlanta Hawks’ Zaccharie Risacher is next at +500, while San Antonio Spurs’ Stephon Castle, and Chicago Bulls’ Matas Buzelis are at +700 and +900, respectively.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, Alex Sarr was projected to be the top overall pick for the Atlanta Hawks, but he didn’t work out for them, which is probably why the team selected Zaccharie Risacher instead.
“(Sarr) was scheduled to come work out, we had it on the books,” Atlanta Hawks GM Landry Fields said while appearing on 92.9 The Game’s “The Steakhouse Show”. “And then he declined to come work out.”
Alex Sarr responded to Fields’ statement during the NBA Draft in New York via Ben Golliver of The Washington Post.
“I have a great team around me. Bill Duffy and WME (Sports) have already been through all of this and I trust them. I’m not going to get into the specifics of where I worked out or where I didn’t, but I’ve been doing my best in my workouts and that is all I can control,” Sarr said.
Alex Sarr bolsters the Washington Wizards’ frontcourt depth
Getting Alex Sarr via the No. 2 pick is the right decision for the Washington Wizards because they don’t have a center besides Marvin Bagley III and Richaun Holmes, especially after trading Daniel Gafford and Kristaps Porzingis.
Last season, the 19-year-old center appeared in 24 games for the Perth Wildcats, averaging 9.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks in 17.2 minutes per game while shooting 52 percent from the field.
Alex Sarr was even compared to Giannis Antetokounmpo by Paul George because of his height and 7’4.25″ wingspan, which allows him to defend at a high level for the Washington Wizards.