Inside The Wizards

Wizards' Defensive Star Omitted from All-Defense Honors

One Washington Wizards rookie put on a defensive clinic this season in thriving as one of the better rookie defenders the modern league has seen, but it wasn't enough for him to crack one of the exclusive All-Defensive teams.
Henry Brown|
Mar 31, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) blocks a shot during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images
Mar 31, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) blocks a shot during the first quarter against the Miami Heat at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images | Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

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The NBA announced its All-Defense teams on Thursday afternoon, naming two team's worth of players worthy of a shoutout for their ability to deter opposing scorers during the regular season.

The Washington Wizards aren't exactly a model of current competitive basketball, and found themselves without a mention on another award ballot finish. Not only were no Wizards named to the First and Second teams, but no DC players even received a vote.

The team's 28th ranked defensive rating at 118 points allowed per 100 possessions makes this look like less of a lapse, but Alex Sarr's debut season of defensive mastery finishing without such a mention from award voters does a bit of a disservice to the young center's instant impact.

The frenchman was touted for his potential as a shot blocker and versatility as a perimeter switcher in last year's NBA Draft, and he delivered on his defensive promise with a two-way season that will forever tie his rookie campaign to fellow modern studs like Victor Wembanyama and Chet Holmgren. He blocked 1.5 shots per game, good for the sixth-most of all NBA players.

He already earned the distinction of getting named to the All-Rookie First Team, which is where he'll have to settle after older centers like Evan Mobley, Rudy Gobert and Ivica Zubac soak up all of the love.

The Washington Wizards find themselves in a sticky situation in the midst of this summer's NBA Draft cycle, stuck between how to manage their unfortunate lottery finish at the sixth pick, making last year's decision with what to do at #2 look that much simpler in retrospect.

Sarr and the Wizards have a long way to go before they're respected for their winning defensive play, but they're already well on the way to building a long-term winning solution on their own time.

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Henry Brown
HENRY BROWN

Henry covers the Washington Wizards and Baltimore Ravens with prior experience as a sports reporter with The Baltimore Sun, the Capital Gazette and The Lead. A Bowie, MD native, he earned his Journalism degree at the University of Maryland.

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