Wizards Big Man Continues to Flash Immense Upside

The Washington Wizards avoided their second 10+ game losing streak of the 2025–26 season by sneaking out a 115–111 home win over the Portland Trail Blazers. This was yet another integral victory for the Wizards amidst their ongoing rebuild, as it once again affirmed the notion that this young core has the capability of competing with teams on any given night — even if the roster is banged up.

A huge reason why Washington was able to defeat the Trail Blazers was second-year center Alex Sarr, who continues to look like one of the best young big men in the NBA. He finished the game with 29 points, 12 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 6 blocks, while also posting a career high in shot attempts with 29.

Alex Sarr was EVERYWHERE on the floor tonight!

🇫🇷 29 PTS
🇫🇷 12 REB (6 OREB)
🇫🇷 6 BLK
🇫🇷 @WashWizards W

He's the first Wizard to record 25+ PTS/10+ REB/5+ BLK in a game since JaVale McGee on Mar. 27, 2011! pic.twitter.com/79U0mdHutn
— NBA (@NBA) January 28, 2026

The 7-foot Frenchman was aggressive from start to finish, something fans have been looking for him to do on a consistent basis all year. Sarr wasn’t afraid in the slightest to attack Portland's own young big in Donovan Clingan, who wasn’t able to keep up with Sarr’s mobility and athleticism.

Improved Approach

Sarr's performance vs. Portland wasn’t a one-off aggressive night either, as in recent games he has seemingly turned a corner in his offensive approach. Over Sarr’s last five games prior to the Blazers matchup, he was posting a 20.2 points-per-game average on 15 shot attempts a night — both of which are well above his season median.

N🚫PE

Block of the Week x @zksync pic.twitter.com/rlTX0qkGEV
— Washington Wizards (@WashWizards) January 28, 2026

However, just because Sarr has been more aggressive doesn’t mean he has been perfect. Yes, it is refreshing to see him — and the team in general — be more cognizant about creating looks for him and making an effort to get him involved for the entirety of the game. But because Sarr is still somewhat underdeveloped, especially in regard to his frame and overall approach to the game, his impact still wavers.

Improvement Areas

There are games, like last night's against the Trail Blazers, where Sarr is able to assert himself as a shooting threat early, forcing opposing bigs to respect him on the perimeter, which in turn creates driving lanes and opportunities for him to get downhill.

On the contrary, there are games where he doesn’t have that same luxury and gets off to a slow start as a shooter, making it more difficult for him to assert himself. These problems are only exaggerated when Sarr is matched up with bigger, more physically developed bigs, as he is no longer able to overwhelm his opponents on the inside.

Washington Wizards Center Alex Sar — Jan 24, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr (20) is fouled at the basket by Charlotte Hornets guard Sion James (4) during the second half at the Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

At the end of the day, though, this recent stretch has been encouraging. It’s clear that Sarr has the highest upside compared to any other player on this young Wizards roster, so seeing him develop not only from a skill perspective, but also mentally is a refreshing sight. There are still some things Sarr will have to clean up before he reaches his full potential, but it seems like every day is a step in the right direction.

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