In a matter of a few weeks, Alex Sarr will begin his dreams of being in the NBA. Before the draft process began, the potential #1 pick received some invaluable advice from Paul George. The Clippers star, who has been a great mentor for several youngsters in the league, deep-dived into the importance of relationship building and being a true professional.
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Paul George has been a part of the league since 2010. Over these past 14 years, he’s also played on three franchises and shared the court with 100+ teammates. Using all this experience at his disposal, he said,
“Enjoy the moment, enjoy the process, enjoy your teammates, enjoy the grind with those teammates because at some point you might not play with them. The good relationship you build with them you might not see them or be teammates with them. I think just cease every moment that you can out of every team that you’re on because you don’t get a redo,” Paul George said on the latest episode of Podcast P.
The NBA is a business and only a few select players represent one organization for the entirety of their career. For the same reason, being a true professional will help Sarr’s chances of playing for a different team. Thus, George’s bizarre statement “you play for the other 29 teams as well” only makes sense.
If it comes a moment where they decide they don’t want you there anymore and they decide to move on or however way it may be, they ultimately have the deciding factor of how your future is going to look. Because if you come in you’re not a hard worker you, you’re not a good locker room guy, all of that stuff is being reported back to other teams,” PG explained.
Before ending the segment with the 19-year-old prospect, the Los Angeles Clippers star gave one parting tip.
“Don’t drink at halftime,” George hilariously told Sarr.
Having already played in the Australian league, Sarr has played organized professional basketball before. So, it should be easy for him to impress teams in the league with his intangibles like professionalism, maturity, and work ethic. Coupled with his inhuman physical traits and impressive style of play, the Frenchman is projected to have a great NBA career.
Alex Sarr is expected to have a great two-way impact
Alex Sarr’s draft stock rose immensely following the Perth Wildcats’ exhibition game against the G-League Ignite back in September 2023. Since then, the big man has done a great job in impressing the scouts.
The Wildcats finished 17-11 in the 2023-2024 NBL regular season. Sarr’s crucial contributions – 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game – played a huge role in the team’s success.
While Sarr put his deep offensive arsenal to show, his defensive performance is what sets him apart. Hence, his two-way capabilities have allowed him to receive comparisons to the likes of Jaren Jackson Jr., Evan Mobley, and Nic Claxton.
Every team in the league could benefit from the addition of the 7ft center. However, according to multiple mock draft boards, the Atlanta Hawks will use their #1 pick to add the European sensation to their roster.
With Clint Capela’s contract reaching its end, the acquisition of Alex Sarr seems to be the perfect move. If that were to take place, it would be interesting to see the one-two punch of Trae Young and Sarr.
