Despite an offseason of good moves this summer, the Washington Wizards did not get good. Nor did they get anywhere near it.
One fifth of the way through the 2025-26 NBA season, and they are stone cold last. Anchored to a 1-15 record that is on pace to make the wrong sort of history, and on a 14-game losing streak that is a tough watch for even the most loyal fan.
The whole point of bottoming out, though, is to find some hope for the future. And the player that is their most prized asset is making the kind of strides that offer a flicker of hope.
Fresh off of an appearance on the All-NBA Rookie Second Team, second-year big man Alex Sarr has begun this season with a level-up. After averaging a decent 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 1.5 blocks per game in his 2024-25 rookie campaign – albeit highly inefficiently, doing so on 39.4% shooting overall and 30.8% from three – his numbers have taken a clear step forward. He is doing more, more efficiently.
Better Offensive Decision-Making
On the season to date, Sarr’s scoring average is up to 18.4 points per game, and his efficiency has gone way up. He is shooting 50.7% from the field, doing so through slightly more judicious selection of the jump shot and tougher finishes when rolling into the lane, and has added 82 points to his true shooting percentage concurrent with a 2.9% spike in his usage rate.
It should be remembered at all times that he is doing this with a backcourt of Bub Carrington and C.J. McCollum as his backcourt. Give him someone like Darryn Peterson or Mikel Brown Jr to grow a two-man game with going forward, and more offensive spikes are coming. Especially if he continues to gain muscle. Sarrâs shot selection and shot profile have evolved meaningfully, becoming more aggressive in the paint and playing tougher through contract.
At the same time, Sarr’s other numbers, including his rebounding, have also improved. He is pulling down 8.4 boards per game, around two more than last season, while his assists have risen to 3.6 game, placing him among the more creative big men in the league when measured by that metric. He is able to play slower, making better decisions, and finding both cutters and shooters even if they miss the resultant attempts.
Sarr’s Defensive Growth
Defensively, Sarr has also developed, in ways not easily measured. The 2.0 blocks per game average speaks to his presence in the lane, as befits any lithe seven-footer with a quick leap, but the positioning and discipline have all improved, and his deployment of the tools is developing with experience.
It is an important bit of context to note that, while Sarr is the Wizards’ best defensive player, he is the best defender on the worst defensive team in the NBA. There is nothing to like about the Wizards on that end of the court, and all successes/signs by Sarr are extremely relative. Nevertheless, Sarr is demonstrating better habits on that end, particularly with his perimeter footwork, and the added muscle further helps again to hold position.
Taken together, the statistical improvements combined with a more refined playing style evidence a young big man maturing quickly. Sarr is developing his body, his skills and his resume, and even if the team around him is genuinely terrible, his individual developments are something to hang a hat off. There is a spark in the Wizards fire, in the form of Alex Sarr. Now, the whole rest of the organization needs to throw a log on it.
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