The NBA Summer League is far too early to start second-guessing draft night decisions, but the strong play of Rockets guard (and No. 3 overall pick) Reed Sheppard has at least started that conversation.
No. 2 overall pick Alexandre Sarr's performance Tuesday against the Trail Blazers won't do anything to quiet it down — the worst shooting performance in a Summer League game since at least 2017, per ESPN.
Sarr struggled from start to finish for the Wizards, with Washington losing 82-80 despite another impressive showing by his fellow first-rounder Bub Carrington.
Sarr was thought to be a strong contender for the No. 1 pick when the Hawks won the NBA Draft Lottery in May, but the French big man largely ignored Atlanta leading up to the draft and positioned himself to join the Wizards. The Hawks would settle on fellow French product Zaccharie Risacher with the top pick.
Here's a look at Sarr's stats from his ugly night against the Trail Blazers in Las Vegas.
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Alexandre Sarr stats vs. Trail Blazers
Sarr was held scoreless on 0-for-15 shooting Tuesday, including an 0-for-7 mark from 3-point range. That marks the most field goal attempts for a player without a make since at least 2017, ESPN reported.
The 19-year-old added nine rebounds, three assists, one steal and three blocks in the narrow loss.
An 0-for-15 performance for a 7-footer is virtually unheard of, though it should be noted Sarr doesn't always operate like a traditional big man, as evidenced by his seven 3-point attempts. However way you look at it, though, Tuesday's game was a brutal display by a player who the Wizards are expecting to be a central piece of their long-term plan.
Sarr was matched up with No. 7 pick and two-time NCAA champion Donovan Clingan, who finished his night with eight points, 13 rebounds and five blocks. Sarr did make an impact outside of scoring, but his nine rebounds and three blocks came in below Clingan's totals.
Donovan Clingan REJECTED Alex Sarr 👀 pic.twitter.com/yKz5dgSfQG
— 𝐉𝐚𝐤𝐞 (@SixthManJake) July 17, 2024
No rookie needs to put up gaudy Summer League numbers to ensure a long NBA career, but Carrington has often looked like the prize of the Wizards' rookie class, which features three first-round picks. The No. 14 pick is averaging 19.0 points, 5.6 rebounds and 6.0 assists through three Summer League games, outshining not just Sarr but just about everyone else on the court despite being just 18 year old.
Here's a look at Sarr's Summer League stats through Tuesday's game.
Alexandre Sarr Summer League stats
| Games | 3 |
| PTS | 6.7 |
| REB | 6.7 |
| AST | 3.0 |
| STL | 0.7 |
| BLK | 3.0 |
| FG% | 19.5% |
| 3P% | 11.8% |
Sarr is averaging just 6.7 points on 19.5 percent shooting through three Summer League games.
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While those marks are heavily skewed by the ugly performance against Portland, Sarr struggled with efficiency in his first two games as well. The 19-year-old's only area of any consistency has been as a shot-blocker, as he recorded multiple blocks in each of his first three games.
Here are Sarr's numbers in each game through Tuesday:
| Date | Opponent | PTS | REB | AST | STL | BLK | FG | 3P |
| Jul. 12 | Hawks | 12 | 7 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 4-12 | 2-5 |
| Jul. 14 | Rockets | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4-14 | 0-5 |
| Jul. 16 | Trail Blazers | 0 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 0-15 | 0-7 |
The Wizards will take Sarr's rim defense and hope the offense comes along, even if progress on that end is more gradual than they expected. Washington isn't expecting to be near playoff contention this season, so Sarr will have nothing but time to round out his game.
