Alex Sarr

[badinage]

This has been due to a massive improvement in his 3-point shooting (from .197 in his first 14 games to .423 in his last 13).

The rest of his numbers haven't really improved at all. His 2P% in his first 14 games was .465 and it remains at .469 over his last 13. His TRB% in the first 14 games was 11.8% and in the last 13 it's 11.7%. His assist percentage is slightly down and his turnover percentage is up substantially.

It's certainly nice that the 3-ball is falling, and if that continues, that's a great thing. But the sample size is so small at this point that I'm not going to get very excited yet. I'd be more excited about a sustained improvement in his 2P% that implied an improved touch around the rim and a better sense of how to get open and get his shot off.

Isn’t there something to be said for the fact that he’s putting up pretty good numbers without yet being good? I find that very encouraging.

Sure. If his 56% TS% can be maintained from here on out, I'll be very happy.

I just don't think it will. I don't think we can assume that he is forever a 42% 3-point shooter just because he happened to put together a cherry-picked 13-game streak where he shot 42% from 3-point range.

Fair.

But it seems clear that he’s able to improve — and not from year to year, but within the course of a season. A rookie season. And as a big man (bigs always take time).

The ability to improve is a huge indicator.

Hitting even 36% on 3 opens up possibilities for him.

And it seems likely now that he will continue to improve in other areas as he fills out and works on his skills.

[nate33]

My point was that he hasn't really improved at much except 3-point shooting. And that may simply be a fluke poor-shooting stretch over his first 14 games followed by a fluke good-shooting stretch in his next 13 games rather than a permanent improvement. He might just be a plain-old 32% shooter overall, just as his season-long totals say that he is.

To be fair, I've seen some modest improvement in his play, mostly in his ability to set screens. He is getting better at that. I really want to see better rebounding, but I don't think that's going to happen mid-season. That's going to take offseason strength training.

[Benjammin]

He also passes and handles the ball well. If he puts in the work at the very least he should be a solid starter in a few years.

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[closg00]

Rookie of the year is going to be very strange this year. NBA.com still has Castle at 1, this dude is barely playing now that the Spurs are fully healthy. I think it's going to be between Edey and Sarr, and more than likely Edey will win it if Memphis and him keep rolling.

Edey isn't playing enough

[DCZards]

I don’t expect Sarr to shoot 42% on 3s for his career but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up in the 38% range.

Sarr’s 3pt shooting stroke is already smooth and consistent…and you’d expect him to continue to work on that aspect of his game.

[willbcocks]

His decisions off screens have looked more purposeful lately, whereas at the start of the year he looked completely lost. He also seems to cut to the rim/look for offensive boards more, and his hands catching the ball have looked a little better.

He has the quickness and enough of a handle, but he has no moves with the ball in his hands on offense and no ability to exploit when he gets a step on the defense. I think that will be easy to learn.

I'm encouraged by his demeanor out there; he has never hung his head even with a very challenging rookie season where he was getting destroyed before game one even started.

[DCZards]

From Hoops Rumors article on Sarr:

Over his last 13 games, he’s connecting at 45.9% from the field and 43.1% from three-point range while taking five shots per night from beyond the arc. “[Alex] was taking good shots. They were shots that we wanted him to take and he didn’t hesitate,” coach Brian Keefe said. “Some people hesitate when they’re not making them. He was not. That’s one of the things that we’ve learned about him is how strong he is mentally. When things aren’t perceived to be going well, it doesn’t affect him. He just keeps going and that’s pretty impressive.”

[FAH1223]

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[tontoz]

I don’t expect Sarr to shoot 42% on 3s for his career but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him end up in the 38% range.

Sarr’s 3pt shooting stroke is already smooth and consistent…and you’d expect him to continue to work on that aspect of his game.

I like that he has pretty good shot selection from 3. He isn't trying to shoot contested 3s off the dribble which would obviously hurt his percentage. He shoots when open and it isnt exactly easy to contest his shot due to his height and fairly high release.

In contrast a guy like Wemby takes a lot of 3s that i would consider low quality attempts.

[FAH1223]

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[AFM]

do NOT sleep on the Bordeaux BEAST!!!!!

[PaulinVA]

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THE BORDEAUX BEAST!!!!

[FAH1223]

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[doclinkin]

With our easier 2nd half schedule, I expect a few wins with Sarr looking steadily better. Along with highlights and redemption stories like the Athletic ^^^ above . The ROTY competition has no runaway standouts, I would not be surprised if he emerges as a strong candidate by year's end.

[dobrojim]

Congrats to Alex for being named EC - ROTM.

With the combination of mature play and skill demonstrated by his teammate Bub,
Sarr may have to continue to improve in order to not get passed in a future month by
his teammate Bub Carrington. Although I fully expect he'll be happy if Bub wins the award
before the season is over. But the month long improvement in 3 pt shooting made Alex
a defendable choice.

If I was still a plan holder, I would make a sign saying Bub is a Stud on one side and Alex
the Great on the other.

[Godymas]

imo once teams have kind of settled into their standings a bit more in the East and start playing the Wiz lighter because they don't care as much, he starts to go on a bit of a tear and averages like 15-17 for 2 months and that puts him into ROTY locks

[J-Ves]

Feel a little vindicated about Sarr and Missi who I both liked. I figured once Missi got his head around to how the center position is supposed to be played at the nba level there was no way he wasn’t the next great energy big in the vein of Gafford. For Sarr it’s such a great sign he’s looked good early because everyone knows he’s a long term project. Once he transforms his body in 3 years he could be JJJ or at least 80% of JJJ which is still a nice building block

[Frichuela]

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[AFM]

That's 12 years ago. Feel old yet?