The Washington Wizards season has been disastrous, but throughout the team's trying start to the year, they've found one major bright spot.
Alex Sarr has been the biggest development for the Wizards this season proving that not only has he improved drastically from his rookie season, but that Washington made the best out of a bad situation selecting him with the No. 2 overall pick in one of the weakest NBA Draft classes in recent memory.
Averaging 19.1 points, 8.6 rebounds and 3.3 assists, while shooting 51.5% from field goal range and 34.6% from beyond the arc, the French product is posting career-highs across the board.
In addition to the leaps Sarr has shown on the offensive end, the 7-footer's defensive versatility continues to flash, averaging 2.0 blocks and just under one steal per game at 0.8.
Sarr has proven to be one of the best young players in the league and as he continues to prove to be an elite rising star, he's quietly silencing his biggest critics one by one.
However, following a recent article posted by ESPN, Sarr may have just received the extra motivation to elevate his game to another level.
ESPN ranks Alex Sarr No. 22 in ESPN Top 25 Under 25
In a recent list put together by NBA Insiders, a list of the top 25 players under the age of 25 was revealed.
Throughout the list, several top names were listed, including the likes o Victor Wembanyama, Cade Cunningham, Cooper Flagg and even Dyson Daniels, who was ranked ahead of Sarr.
Obviously, it's a sign of respect for Sarr being included in this list, but at the same time, being ranked under talented players like Daniels and Jalen Suggs, the Wizards star should take the low ranking as a sign of disrespect too.
In the article, ESPN insider Tim Bontemps gave some insight on Sarr's name being on the list.
"There's a reason being able to protect the rim and space the floor as a big man is such a coveted skill set, and Sarr is beginning to realize some of that potential," Bontemps said.
"To take the next step, Sarr needs to continue to make strides as a shooter. Last season, he shot 30.8% from 3 on more than five attempts per game.," the insider continued, "This year, he's up to 34.6% but on lower volume. For Sarr to truly reach his ceiling, he needs to become a 3-point shooting weapon that better spaces the floor for his teammates."
Sarr should use the ranking as a sense of validation, but also as motivation to prove his ranking should be much higher on this list.