Alex Sarr Signs Deal with Perth Wildcats of Australia's NBL, Projects as No. 17 Pick in 2024 NBA Draft

Perth Wildcats of the Australian NBL have landed a potential top-20 NBA draft pick of 2024 in Alex Sarr, the 7-foot-1 French big man. The 18-year-old signed with the club for the 2021-22 season, coming off a great performance at the FIBA U17 World Cup, where he won a bronze medal and had the highest player efficiency rating.

Sarr, who played for Real Madrid's Youth Team and the Overtime Elite (OTE) in Atlanta, admits he's gunning for a challenge. "I need to take the next step with my game now," he declares. "The NBL is what I need."

Sarr is joining fellow American draft prospect A.J. Johnson of the Illawarra Hawks and fellow French players Ousmane Dieng and Rayan Rupert in the NBL's Next Stars program. His brother, Olivier Sarr, formerly with Kentucky Wildcat and now playing for the Oklahoma City Thunder, has been giving him advice, saying "Go out there and compete, impact both ends of the floor and be one of the best players every game." Sarr will return to training in Toulouse, France and report to Perth in late July.