2024 NBA Draft Prospect Team Previews: Perth Wildcats
While the number of NBA Draft picks that have come from the NBL has hit double-digits over recent years - a list that includes LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey - the 2024 class may be the lengthiest yet.
With NBA Draft analysts still awaiting the start of college seasons all eyes have been on the NBL Blitz and the start of the regular season.
Perhaps no player, regardless of the league, has done more for their early draft stock than Perth Wildcats’ big man, Alexandre Sarr. The 7-footer is still just 18-years-old but spent time with the Real Madrid program before playing for the Overtime Elite the last two seasons and now on to the NBL.
The French prospect has family ties to the professional game via his father and his brother, Olivier, who is currently on a two way contract with the OKC Thunder. Coming into the 2024 NBA Draft cycle, Sarr was a prospect that was on most people’s radars but many scouts that you talked to felt like he was mostly a player that flashed his talent and lacked consistency.
This narrative has quickly changed through two exhibition games vs the G League Ignite, multiple NBL Blitz games and now into the NBL regular season. At 7-feet and with tremendous mobility for his size the immediate stand out impact is on the defensive end.
Again, this was something that was easy to take notice of from last season’s film but would still be described as raw.
That impact has been actualized in the games we have seen from Sarr this year as he provided a tremendous amount of rim protection in the two games vs the Ignite while also taking some perimeter matchups vs Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis.
Sarr will be able to cover an immense amount of ground on this end of the floor - as well as being able to play multiple ball screen coverages - which makes for an interesting conversation about whether he will be best utilized as Jaren Jackson Jr. roamer type or true back line of the defense center.
Where Sarr is still more potential than actual production is on the offensive end of the court. He has flashed some intriguing possessions in the dribble hand-off, grab-and-go and is taking 3-point attempts but these skills are definitely ones that scouts will keep a close eye on throughout the season.
It is encouraging to see Sarr try to develop that perimeter game - following in the footsteps of recent draft picks Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren - but it would be nice to see him add a little more inside the 3-point line. Adding that rim gravity in pick-and-rolls, dunker spot finishes and on the offensive boards will just add to his overall offensive value.
In his first three regular season games he is averaging 12 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.3 blocks per game on 71% from the field and four out of six from beyond the 3-point line.
A less herald NBA Draft prospect playing for the Wildcats is Ben Henshall. He is a 19-year-old guard from Australia who may not be ready by the time this season is over but is already putting his name on NBA Draft radars.
In three NBA Blitz games he averaged just under nine points, three rebounds and three assists in 15 minutes of play. The box score averages will not pop off the page but this kid's confidence absolutely does which he showcased with a 24-point performance in the second game of the season vs South East Melbourne when he got a chance to play meaningful minutes due to an injury and foul trouble.
He has some real swagger to his game when he has the ball in his hands and this was on full display in a game vs New Zealand when he hit a huge late game isolation 3-point jumper. Henshall flashes a real desire on the defensive end and this does lead to some true playmaking and disruption.
As mentioned, he may not turn out to be a 2024 prospect - and playing time will be interesting to follow as he didn’t get any minutes in Perth’s first regular season game and just six in their third one - but Ben Henshall is still a name to put on your NBA Draft watchlist for the NBL.
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