“He’s a candidate to be number one.” 

“Very intriguing prospect. Top-5 pick. In the conversation for the No. 1 pick.”

Alexandre Sarr’s NBA draft stock continues to skyrocket, with the 18-year-old putting his name up in lights during Perth’s pre-season trip to the United States. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alex Sarr against G League Ignite! ?<br><br>26 points <br>10 rebounds<br>3 assists<br>6 blocks<br>3 steals<br><br>Watch the highlights ?? <a href="https://t.co/B4Nu9gS7lE">pic.twitter.com/B4Nu9gS7lE</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1700358335047098624?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 9, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

The NBL Next Star dominated against some of the most highly touted prospects in the upcoming Draft class, with experts quick to pile superlatives on the towering 216-centimetre center.

In a feature for Andscape, senior NBA writer Marc. J Spears described the current buzz around Sarr.

“French 7-foot-5 teenager Victor Wembanyama introduced himself to the basketball world when he played two exhibition contests against the G League Ignite months before becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2023 NBA draft. Another 7-foot teenage center from France has also played his way into the conversation for the No. 1 pick for the “wide-open” 2024 NBA draft after his showing in two exhibition games against the Ignite last week,” Spears said. 

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Alex Sarr made a major impact on ball ends of the floor in the first game of the G League Fall Invitational for the <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> ?<br><br>17 PTS<br>7 REB<br>6 BLK <a href="https://t.co/ox7HwzlTmS">pic.twitter.com/ox7HwzlTmS</a></p>&mdash; NBA (@NBA) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBA/status/1699630901775171881?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

According to Spears, Sarr’s performance has NBA scouts circling. 

“Alexandre Sarr towered over everyone in these two games. He’s got some [expletive] to his game,” one NBA general manager said.

Another long-time scout exclaimed: “Sarr showed that he is a modern-day big with his mobility, activity on both ends, finishing, 3-point shooting, shot-blocking and ability to switch defensively.”

The praise didn’t stop there.

“You can look objectively at that game and say if those other two [Ron Holland and Matas Buzelis] are supposed to be the top pick, Sarr was clearly dominant and right at if not above their level, if we’re being honest,” one NBA general manager said. 

“This draft is wide open. So, I wouldn’t be surprised to see [Sarr] climb like that if he can maintain this. Honestly those two [Holland and Buzelis] that were listed at the top is more driven by hype than actually being the top two prospects at this stage. The draft is wide-open.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Meet Alexandre Sarr, one of potential top pick prospects in the 2024 NBA draft. The 7-foot-1 French center impressed scouts against G League Ignite to put himself ‘in conversation for the No. 1 pick.’ <a href="https://twitter.com/andscape?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@andscape</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/nba?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#nba</a> <a href="https://t.co/4aXPsHhmID">https://t.co/4aXPsHhmID</a></p>&mdash; Marc J. Spears (@MarcJSpears) <a href="https://twitter.com/MarcJSpears/status/1701287353824977189?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Before last week’s double-header, Sarr was already touted as a first-round pick in many mock drafts, but his stocks continue to rise. 

NBA Draft Analyst Jonathan Givony is more than happy to buy into the hype, after the Perth big man had a combined 43 points, 17 rebounds and 12 blocks across two games in Las Vegas. 

“The story of these two Perth/Ignite games has to be Alex Sarr,” he said on NBA Today. 

“He was such an eye-opener with the way that he performed in both games, the energy he brought on both ends of the floor … the athleticism, the defensive versatility, the finishing ability. 

“He blocked everything, he was guarding everybody, he ran the floor, he was even playing point-guard at certain stages, making good reads out of dribble-handoffs. 

“He really did everything. 

“I’ve been watching Alex Sarr since he was 15 years old. He didn’t play with this kind of motor when he was 15 or 16.

“This is an acquired thing for Alex Sarr and this is what NBA scouts want to see from him.

“They want to see physicality, competitive, intensity. 

“The stakes will be rising next weekend at the NBL Blitz in Australia. He’ll play three games in front of probably 100-plus NBA scouts.

“People are going to watching Alex Sarr very closely this season. He’s a candidate to be number one.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Went on NBA Today with <a href="https://twitter.com/malika_andrews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@malika_andrews</a> to update my 2024 mock draft and talk about Alex Sarr&#39;s outstanding two games in Las Vegas against G League Ignite. <a href="https://t.co/wdvUG9JGhT">pic.twitter.com/wdvUG9JGhT</a></p>&mdash; Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) <a href="https://twitter.com/DraftExpress/status/1701340203216932936?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 11, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Sarr and the Perth Wildcats will be in action at the Hungry Jack’s NBL Blitz on the Gold Coast from September 16-22.