Wizards Rookie Unbothered by Starting Lineup

The Washington Wizards have a player who doesn't put much stock in the starting lineup.

Oct 9, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Washington Wizards forward Alex Sarr (20) rebounds during the second half against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Alex Sarr is the only player that has started every game for the Washington Wizards so far this season, but the French rookie doesn't place much stock in that statistic.

Instead, Sarr is striving for something different.

“I mean it's nice I will say but at the same time I focus on my production and what I can really add to the team,” Sarr said. “That's more a coaches thing, but no matter who's on the floor the most important thing is who stays on the floor so [I’m] just trying to have impact when I'm on the floor.”

There has been a lot of shuffling around with the Wizards starting lineup to open the season, trying to figure out which combination of players works best to begin a game.

While Bilal Coulibaly, Jordan Poole and Kyle Kuzma likely would also have started each game if they stayed healthy over the course of the season, Sarr's inclusion in the starting lineup as a rookie shows signs of confidence from the team.

The Wizards, especially after losing 13 straight games, have every right to shake things up and move Sarr to the bench to try something new. But that hasn't been the case.

Sarr's inclusion in the starting lineup has shown that the Wizards are putting a lot of stock into his future and that the team values what he brings to the table.

This isn't to say the Wizards wouldn't care if they had him coming off the bench, but it's clear that the team is putting in confidence in the young big man.

However, like Sarr said, he is more concerned about finishing games than starting them, so he will continue to put in the work in order to accomplish that goal.

Make sure you bookmark Washington Wizards on SI for the latest news, exclusive interviews, film breakdowns and so much more!