Alexandre Sarr's Summer League Doesn't Mean Much, But It might Mean Something

The rookie's struggles have caused some skepticism about his immediate future.

Jun 26, 2024; Brooklyn, NY, USA; Alexandre Sarr shakes hands with NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected second overall by the Washington Wizards in the first round in the 2024 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

During Summer League, whenever anyone plays above expectations, or below them, the response is always the same.

"It's Summer League. It doesn't matter."

That statement is not inaccurate. Just take 2008 where Michael Beasley looked like a future NBA superstar, and Derrick Rose injected a pint of concern into the veins of every Bulls fan.

Summer League does not, necessarily, represent the future. It's a snapshot of how a player produced during a meaningless couple of weeks in Las Vegas.

(If you're sensing a "But", then buddy, you're right it's coming.) 

But it's also fair to leave the 2024 version of NBA Summer League with some realistic concerns about Alexandre Sarr.

Not concerns like "Is he even an NBA player?", because that'd be ridiculous. But concerns more like "Is he less ready than we believed?", to which the answer remains to be seen.

Sarr was a rough watch in Vegas. Full stop. The misses that kept clanking, the confidence that clearly stumbled, and the effort that diminished the more he struggled, it got downright unpleasant to observe.

The skinny? 9-of-47 shooting with 5.5 points per contest in 29.6 minutes over four games. Yikes. 

How Sarr, given the combination of his 7-foot-1 frame and athletic prowess, didn't run himself into 10 efficient points per night is a fair question. We were all left fairly baffled at just how little he applied himself when things didn't go his way, which does deserve to be noted for the future. 

That doesn't mean his NBA Summer League performance should be the main discourse around him - that'd be silly - but just scribble it down on a Post-it, and put it in your pocket for later, Draft Day style.

Of course, the counterargument is he's just been taught a valuable lesson of how you can never play passively in the NBA. That argument, too, is fair. Young players learn, and some need a real wake-up call before they understand the business they're in. Perhaps Sarr is one of those people. 

Regardless of what's about to happen when the NBA turns from the offseason to the regular season, nuance is crucial for how we view Sarr. We must allow him to make NBA Summer League a distant memory, just as we must also be ready to adjust our expectations if his performance becomes more of the same.

Players need time, some more than others. 

Unless noted otherwise, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball-Reference. All salary information via Spotrac. All odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook.

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