Alex Sarr
A fluid and defensive-minded French big man whose rapid rise made him a top NBA draft pick, symbolizing the league's new international wave.
Born 2005 (age 21)·French basketball player·Birthday: April 26·Generation Z
Biography
Alex Sarr represents the new archetype of the global basketball prodigy. Born in Bordeaux to a Senegalese father and French mother, he grew up in the shadows of his older brother Olivier's career, training at the famed INSEP academy in Paris. Rather than take a traditional European professional path or go to U.S. college, Sarr chose an audacious route: moving to Australia's National Basketball League (NBL) as part of its Next Stars program. With the Perth Wildcats, his game blossomed. He showcased not just the shot-blocking and rim-running expected of a seven-footer, but a surprising ability to handle the ball and shoot from the perimeter. This unique package of size, mobility, and modern skills made him a coveted prospect, leading the Washington Wizards to select him with the second overall pick in the 2024 NBA draft, betting on him as a cornerstone for their future.
Generation Z
1997–2012
Born into smartphones, social media, and school shootings. The most diverse generation in history. Pragmatic about money, fluid about identity, anxious about the climate. They do not remember a world before the internet.
Alex was born in 2005, placing them squarely in the Generation Z. The events that shaped this generation — social media, climate anxiety, and a pandemic — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alex Was Born
The biggest hits of 2005
#1 Movie
Star Wars: Episode III
Best Picture
Crash
#1 TV Show
American Idol
Alex's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
2005Born
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2010Started school
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2018Became a teenager
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2021Could drive
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2023Could vote
ChatGPT goes mainstream; Israel-Hamas war begins
Gas: $3.52/galHome: $361,600Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Flowers" — Miley CyrusBest Picture: Oppenheimer
2026Turned 21
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected 2nd overall by the Washington Wizards in the 2024 NBA Draft.
- Played a key developmental season for the Perth Wildcats in Australia's NBL as part of the 'Next Stars' program.
- Won a gold medal with the French national team at the 2023 FIBA Under-19 Basketball World Cup.
- Named to the All-NBL Second Team for the 2023-24 season.
Did You Know?
His older brother, Olivier Sarr, also plays in the NBA, having been with the Oklahoma City Thunder and Portland Trail Blazers.
He lived in Spain for a time during his youth while his brother played professionally there.
He speaks French and English fluently.
He chose to play in the NBL over options in Europe and the NCAA to accelerate his development against physical, professional competition.
“My focus is on the next play, not the last one.”
