The Washington Wizards losing has reached 10 games and the fanbase continues to hope that this season won't be yet another wasted year of a long awaited rebuilding process.
Last season, Washington saw flashes from their young core, but the team failed to see a player step up and prove they can be the guy the Wizards can build around for the long haul.
More specifically, the team's former No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr seemingly failed to live up to the unfair expectations placed on him as a rookie.
Fast forward to this season, the Wizards fanbase hoped to see some sort of improvement to start the year.
Right out of the gate, second-year man Kyshawn George emerged as a rising star for the Wizards, proving that he's more than just a long=term role player for Brian Keefe and Washington.
However, arguably the biggest development of the Wizards start to the season is the fact that Sarr not only looks like he's taken a step in the right direction, but he's proving that he can the guy the Wizards can build around moving forward.
Through the start to the season, Sarr has shown tremendous flashes, but the most obvious comes with his growing confidence to take the ball to the rim.
As a rookie, the French product's main struggles came in the pain, which resulted in many labeling him a bust solely off the fact that at 7-foot, Sarr struggled in the one area most players his size flourish.
Now, he's improved his efficiency at the rim, shown flashes of playmaking and his developing jumper is making him one of the most elite young prospects in the league today.
Over his last five games, Sarr is averaging 21.6 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 2.6 blocks per game, while shooting 53.6% from field goal range.
Using the five game stretch to improve his season averages to 19.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.8 assists on the year, Sarr looks like the player the Wizards front office envisioned when they selected him No. 2 overall in the 2024 NBA Draft.
The big man looks like a player Washington can build around and with the season trending in the direction of another top pick this coming offseason, the Wizards could be in position to land the missing piece that finally allows for the team to get back in the mix of the Eastern Conference.