Did NBL fans witness the greatest performance of Next Star Alexandre Sarr’s tenure with the Perth Wildcats in Round 17?

Sarr returned from a hip injury in the club’s opening clash of the round, and after shaking off some rust against the Illawarra Hawks he exploded in Perth’s 12-point win over South East Melbourne.

The clash not only included a career-high 18 points, but he was lethal on the defensive end to finish with five blocks en route to being named Foot Locker Player of the Game.

A monster block on Phoenix development player Kody Stattmann was also named the NBL’s second top play of the round.

Former Phoenix Sun and Brooklyn Net Alan Williams believes Sarr is already primed to make the step up into the NBA.

“I think whoever picks him, wherever he goes whether it’s one, two, wherever it is, I think they’re getting a guy that is a pro already,” Williams said on NBL Overtime.

“That’s the biggest thing you see, the transition is always tough for the younger guys because they haven’t been in professional situations and environments before, he’s a part of a really good pro team, he’s in a place where he’s coming off the bench.

“A game like that, you see it and say ‘he can hang out and do this, he’s the number one pick, he doesn’t have to come back and play from his injury’ but he’s choosing to rock up and play every day, he’s around great vets and he’s going to be a great piece for an NBA franchise moving forward.”

Williams also says his South East Melbourne teammates were, specifically, impressed with one of Sarr’s dunks against their side.

“He’s phenomenal, he had that euro-step to the dunk, and I was talking to my teammates it was the most graceful euro-step I’ve ever seen,” Williams said.

“I didn’t even hear him take the steps on the one-two before he elevated for the dunk. His impact was felt on both ends and he definitely helped them in that win.”

NBL legend and fourth all-time leading scorer Lanard Copeland added he believes Sarr’s injury has shifted the French star’s mentality.

“He looked like he went to another level in that game,” Copeland added.

“‘I got hurt, I’m not taking any more games for granted, I’m going to show you guys what I can do, because I’m going to be out of here really soon.’ That’s what it looked like to me.”

Sarr will next be in action on Sunday against the New Zealand Breakers at 4pm AEDT.