The Washington Wizards selected Alex Sarr from the Perth Wildcats of the Australian NBL with the 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. The team also agreed in principle to acquire the draft rights to Bub Carrington, the 14th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft, from the Portland Trail Blazers in a trade that is expected to be finalized at a later date, and acquired the draft rights to Kyshawn George, the 24th overall pick of the 2024 NBA Draft from the New York Knicks.
Sarr is a 7-0, 224-pound center from Bordeaux, France. The 19-year-old most recently spent the 2023-24 season with the Perth Wildcats as part of the NBL’s Next Stars program where he averaged 9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 17.3 minutes per game over 27 league games. In two games against the NBA G League Ignite at the 2023 NBA G League Fall Invitational, Sarr blocked a total of 12 shots, highlighted by a 26 point, 10 rebound, six block and three steal performance vs. NBA G League Ignite on Sept. 8.
Prior to the NBL, Sarr spent two seasons (2021-23) as a member of the Overtime Elite program and was a 2022-23 All-OTE Second Team selection. Sarr also played for the French national team at the 2023 U17 FIBA World Cup, averaging 7.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 2.0 blocks per game while helping lead France to a silver medal finish. Sarr becomes the franchise’s first top-three selection since 2013.
Carrington, a native of Baltimore, MD is a 6-4, 195-pound forward from the University of Pittsburgh appeared in 33 games for the Panthers (all starts), recording averages of 13.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game. Carrington, who earned 2023-24 ACC All-Freshman honors after being the only freshman in the nation to average at least 13.5 points, 5.0 rebounds and 4.0 assists per game. He also was the first ACC player to record a triple-double in his first career game since 1987 after finishing with 18 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists against North Carolina A&T on Nov. 6.
George, a 6-8, 205-pound guard out of Miami (FL), played in 30 games as a freshman for the Hurricanes, starting in 16 and posting averages of 7.6 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game while shooting .426 from the floor and .408 from beyond the arc. George was the only ACC freshman to average 7.0 points and 3.0 rebounds per game while playing less than 25.0 minutes per game last season. Prior to Miami (FL), George played on French Club Elan Chalon for four years. In 2022-23 he averaged 17.6 points, 6.5 rebounds, 3.8 assists and 2.4 steals per game for the U21 team.