Inside The Wizards

Wizards' Alex Sarr Building Defensive Player of the Year Case

The second year Washington Wizards big man's impressive defensive ability has thrust him into award talks.
Owen Jury|
Jan 2, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) dunks over Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
Jan 2, 2026; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) dunks over Brooklyn Nets center Day'Ron Sharpe (20) during the second half at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

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Washington Wizards

With the Washington Wizards’ season nearly half complete, fans and evaluators have been given ample opportunity to see where each young Wizard is at in their development. Although Washington’s record hasn’t exactly reflected it, multiple Wizards have taken leaps in their games and cemented themselves as franchise cornerstones.

One of, if not the leader of that group is second-year big man Alex Sarr. Many things can be said about Sarr and the strides he has made, all of which are reflected in his impressive slash line of 17.7 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists per game.

However, arguably the most impressive facet of Sarr’s game is his defensive prowess. Through 24 games, Sarr has averaged 2.4 blocks and 0.8 steals per game, anchoring a Wizards defense that has taken a noticeable step forward this season. His performance has been so impressive thus far that he has begun to work his way into Defensive Player of the Year talks, especially considering the injury status of current favorite Victor Wembanyama.

The Case for Sarr

Sarr’s case isn’t just a gimmick made up by fans either — he has a legitimate argument that stacks up well compared to other big men. He currently leads the entire NBA in blocks with 57, and opponents are shooting just 46.9% on shots he defends. Along with that, Sarr ranks fourth in the NBA in block percentage at 7.3%.

Along with his impressive stats, Sarr also passes the eye test. Anyone who watches the Wizards can come to the conclusion that he is one of the best rim protectors in the NBA purely based on how many drives and shots he deters. On top of that, his impressive combination of length and mobility allows him to switch onto smaller, quicker players and hold his own, giving Washington even more freedom in how they deploy him defensively.

Despite his clear defensive prowess, it will still be a tough uphill battle for him to win DPOY. A huge basis of how voters choose the winner has to do with team defensive statistics — something that is partially out of his control.

Sarr currently ranks 179th in the NBA in defensive win shares and 80th in defensive box plus-minus. It would take a miracle for Washington to have a team turnaround strong enough to push him toward the top of the list, making his DPOY odds seem minuscule.

The odds are stacked against Sarr, no doubt. Currently, BetMGM doesn’t even have him listed in their DPOY odds, likely in large part due to Washington’s lack of team success. However, if the Wizards can continue to play good basketball like they have in recent weeks, Sarr’s chances of making an All-Defensive team will skyrocket, and his chances of being DPOY may awaken.

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Owen Jury
OWEN JURY

Owen Jury is currently a writer for Sports Illustrated. Jury is a student at the University of Missouri-Columbia studying journalism. At Missouri, he covers men’s golf and basketball for a student-run publication called The Maneater. Jury is still figuring out what his end goal is, but he is definitely excited about his future in journalism.

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