Last summer, there was a big controversy centered around the NBA Draft and what the correct pecking order was for the top prospects. There was of course a variance of opinions, and there was plenty of debate about who the Washington Wizards should select with the second overall pick. When they took Alex Sarr, some were thrilled, some not so much.
Other draft selections flourishing throughout the year only served to amplify the voices of the doubters, and those who were dead set on defending whatever player they thought the Wizards should have taken over Sarr. Of course, viewing players through this lens means you are always going to have a glass half-empty mentality. If you only look at what you could have had, you will miss out on the reality of what you actually ended up with.
In the grand scheme of things, there have truly been a lot of reasons to be excited about Sarr's future. The rookie showed some impressive flashes during his first professional season that only continue to grow the hype among fans in Washington. Those that have been paying attention see the vision when it comes to Sarr's place on this team.
Alex Sarr short-roll passing pic.twitter.com/ZU49MpppcD
— Brett Usher (@UsherNBA) March 22, 2025
There is plenty of reason for Wizards fans to be excited about Sarr
One somewhat niche area where Sarr has been excelling is as a short-roll passer. As Brett Usher (@UsherNBA on X) demonstrates with his highlight tape, Alex has found a lot of success this season in creating good offensive looks for the Wizards through quick decision-making when passing off the catch in the paint.
Not every big man has this skill in their bag, so it's one that really puts Sarr's playmaking skills into perspective. He was very good this season at initiating a dribble hand off, rolling and then catching a pass before swinging the ball either out to the perimeter to a wide open shooter, or to a cutter for an easy finish right at the rim.
One of the biggest criticisms of Sarr from doubters this season was his inefficient shooting, as he is averaging just 39% from the floor and 31% from three as of this writing. But in the big picture, this is truly not a real reason for concern. Sarr played over 27 minutes a night on a team that was never close to contending for a postseason spot. Letting him freewheel a bit and make mistakes is the name of the game when you have that kind of situation.
Sarr also showed flashes of being a real rim protector and got his volume up when it came to three-point attempts as well, taking over five per game. There are plenty of reasons to believe he can reach his long-term potential in Washington, and Wizards fans should feel confident their team made the right pick.