Alex Sarr’s rookie campaign was filled with ups and downs. The Washington Wizards’ big man started off slow but showed major improvement down the stretch of the 2024–25 NBA season. The No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft credits his development to two of his teammates.
Sarr Credits Bilal Coulibaly & Jonas Valančiūnas For Growth
The 6-foot-10 forward averaged 13 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 blocks in 27.1 minutes per game during his rookie season.
The first teammate Sarr credited for showing him the ropes was fellow countryman Bilal Coulibaly. Now in his second NBA season, Coulibaly played an integral role in Sarr’s development, not just as a teammate but as another French lottery pick learning to navigate the challenges of the NBA.
Drafted No. 7 overall in the 2023 NBA Draft, Coulibaly brought valuable experience to the table, helping Sarr understand the day-to-day grind of life as an NBA rookie.
“The fact that he had the rookie experience already, he could help me through the things I had to manage through,” Sarr told RG. “So yeah, he definitely helped me.”
The other teammate, the 2024 No. 2 overall pick credited, was longtime veteran Jonas Valančiūnas. Before being traded to the Sacramento Kings, Valančiūnas served as a steadying force and mentor for Washington’s young roster. Despite being an established veteran and signing a three-year, $30 million deal with the Wizards, he willingly accepted a bench role behind Sarr, offering mentorship and guidance.
“Every time he steps on the court, he gains experience,” Valančiūnas told RG. “Right now, experience is key for him—every minute he plays will help him grow. He’s working hard, and the sky’s the limit for him.”
That experience was on full display when Sarr delivered a breakout performance in a late-season win over the Denver Nuggets. The center poured in a career-high 34 points, along with six rebounds, five assists, and five made three-pointers in a thrilling three-point victory.
Going head-to-head with three-time MVP Nikola Jokić, Sarr’s showing offered a glimpse of his immense potential—and gave the Wizards reason to believe they may have found their center of the future.
In May, the NBA announced that Alex Sarr had earned First Team All-Rookie honors for the 2024–25 season. He wasn’t the only Wizards rookie to gain recognition—guard Bub Carrington was named to the All-Rookie Second Team.
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Sarr and Carrington became the first pair of Wizards teammates to make All-Rookie teams in the same season since 1963–64, when Gus Johnson and Rod Thorn earned the honor.
With Washington holding the No. 6 pick in the upcoming NBA Draft and Sarr expected to take a leap in his sophomore year, the Wizards have a real opportunity to build on their young core and take a step toward becoming a competitive team in the near future.
