Sarr was born on 26 April 2005 in Bordeaux, France.[1][2] He grew up in a family of basketball players, initially in Bordeaux and then later Toulouse.[3] He started playing basketball at the age of four.[4] In 2019, Sarr joined the Spanish club Real Madrid Baloncesto and played two seasons for their youth team.[5][6]
Professional career
Overtime Elite (2021–2023)
In 2021, Sarr moved to the United States to join the newly established Overtime Elite league in Atlanta, securing him an alternative professional pathway with a guaranteed minimum salary of at least $100,000 per year.[5][7] He played two seasons at Overtime Elite, the first with Team Overtime[8] and the second with YNG Dreamerz.[9] He earned second-team All-OTE honours in 2022–23.[10]
Perth Wildcats (2023–2024)
On 9 May 2023, Sarr signed with the Perth Wildcats of the Australian National Basketball League (NBL), joining the team as part of the league's Next Stars program for the 2023–24 season.[6][11] He entered the season as a highly touted draft prospect.[12] On 28 December, he sustained a hip strain in a game against the Adelaide 36ers and subsequently missed the next four weeks.[13][14][15] On 27 January 2024, he recorded a new career record, scoring 18 points and five blocks in a 103–91 win over the South East Melbourne Phoenix.[16] He finished the season with averages of 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, 1.5 blocks and 0.9 assists in 17 minutes per game,[17][18][19] helping Perth reach the NBL play-off semifinals.[18]
Washington Wizards (2024–present)
On 12 April 2024, Sarr announced that he had declared for the 2024 NBA draft;[18] his entry was confirmed by the NBA on 2 May.[20] On 26 June, Sarr was selected with the second overall pick by the Washington Wizards.[19][21] It was the Wizards' highest selection in 14 years.[21] He was picked alongside fellow Frenchmen Zaccharie Risacher (drafted by the Atlanta Hawks with the first overall pick) and Tidjane Salaün (drafted by the Charlotte Hornets with the sixth pick), making France the first foreign nation to have at least three native players picked in the top 10 spots of any NBA draft.[19][22] On 6 July, Sarr signed a rookie-scale contract with the Wizards.[23] He made his NBA Summer League debut on 12 July, putting up 12 points, seven rebounds, four assists, and four blocks in a 94–88 win over the Atlanta Hawks.[24] In his second Summer League game on 16 July, he went scoreless on 0-for-15 shooting from the field while putting up nine rebounds and three assists in an 82–80 loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.[25] He ended Summer League play after playing 118 minutes over four summer games, shooting a combined 9 of 47 from the field, scoring 22 points, along with 31 rebounds, 13 assists, and 10 blocks.[26][27]