Alex Sarr is days away from the start of his sophomore season with the Washington Wizards.
The big man has all eyes on his potential leap in his second season in Washington with fans hoping that the No. 2 overall pick can prove not only the Wizards front office right for passing on players such as Stephon Castle, but that he can be the cornerstone player that can get the team one step closer to the light at the end of the tunnel.
Sarr put in plenty of work this offseason, making it clear that improvement was on the top of his to do list entering year two.
The French product suited up in Summer League for the Wizards and quickly turned around to take his talents internationally for the opportunity to represent his home country during FIBA EuroBasket play.
Throughout his time in both Summer League and EuroBasket play, it was clear that the 7-footer was playing with a new sense of urgency and a bit more confidence in his game.
Prior to his offseason being cut short due to a calf injury, Sarr showed plenty of flashes that increased the hype around a potential leap entering the 2025-26 season.
And when Sarr suffered his calf injury with Team France, many thought the team's worst nightmare may have become a reality considering the chance the forward would miss time at the start of the regular season.
However, the forward managed to suit up in the team's preseason opener and looks on schedule to be ready to go when the Wizards open their season on Wednesday.
Sarr will be ready to prove he's a different player than he was last season and based on general manager Will Dawkins' thoughts about the young prospect, it'll be easy to tell what's exactly different when the season begins.
“I think that biggest difference you will see with [Alex Sarr] is confidence and his mindset,” Wizards general manager Will Dawkins said on The Sports Junkies radio.
Sarr's lack of confidence as a rookie is arguably the biggest cause for his early struggles and if his increased confidence and mindset has shifted for the better, there's a real possibility that the forward could be in position for a huge sophomore leap this coming season.
The talent and opportunity is there and now that he has the confidence to take advantage of the opportunity, fans could see a completely new version of Sarr this season.