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Alexandre Sarr has a huge basketball future ahead of him, but there's no sign he's weighed down by the massive expectation on his shoulders.
Key points:
- Perth Wildcat Alexandre Sarr is one of the most exciting prospects in basketball
- He is tipped to be taken among the top five picks in the NBA draft
- But he wants to help the Wildcats win their next NBL title
The 18-year-old looks relaxed as he strolls across a Fremantle park for our interview, despite having spent the best part of an hour on a hot Sunday afternoon signing autographs for Perth Wildcats fans, who know he could make history in just over six months.
Life has changed for the Frenchman, who is ranked by several experts as being in the top five best prospects in the NBA draft, with some having him as the potential number one pick.
Yet Sarr doesn't seem fazed by the attention or the hype surrounding his playing future.
"I kind of know what I'm about," he said.
"It shows me that the work I've put in shows, but at the same time it's something that is still far away so I don't focus on it too much."
An impressive display for the Perth Wildcats against the G-League Ignite in the United States put him on the radar of NBA scouts, while a documentary crew follows him as part of the Next Star program.
Sarr is embracing the change since moving to Perth.
"I kind of find my circle here. My teammates help me a lot, my parents being here has helped me a lot," he said.
"It's definitely different from what I've been used to my whole life.
"But it's nice, it's a new challenge and a new step in my life."
Rising star
Sarr could become the 14th player to be drafted to the NBA from the NBL, following in the footsteps of LaMelo Ball and Josh Giddey.
But his journey started a long time before he set foot in Australia, moving to Spain as a young teenager to pursue his basketball dream.
"Since I was 14 I lived by myself in Spain," he said.
"It was best for me to go to Spain and work on my game.
"I stayed two years there, and then two years in America."
He believes the experience will be a benefit down the road.
"It's a challenge for sure, but with time you get used to it," Sarr said.
"I think it definitely helped me a lot in the person I am today and how I can adapt to new environments."
Sarr's parents live in Perth with him, which has made the move to Australia less daunting, and allowed him to focus on basketball and other teenage things. Such as getting his drivers licence.
"Right now I'm still on my learners licence, driving around with my mum," he smiles.
"It's definitely nice and it's something I want to learn and I'm kind of getting better at it.
"It takes my mind off the game and I've got to lock in for two hours on something I can't really do, so it's nice.
"It helps you take your mind off basketball."
What about that hip?
In late December, Sarr slipped on a decal on the court during a match against the Adelaide 36ers, suffering a hip strain, which raised questions about whether he would be withdrawn from the NBL to avoid further injury ahead of the draft.
Sarr had previously stated his desire to remain in the league, and he doesn't appear to have changed his mind despite injury.
"My priority is just getting back healthy and helping Perth," he said.
"I have great doctors here that help me, and a great team of staff members that are with me 24/7."
Sarr's career is only just starting, but he's sought counsel from his older brother, Olivier, who already plays in the NBA with the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Olivier has been a visible supporter of his younger brother, even wearing a Perth Wildcats guernsey as he arrived for a match.
"He gives me a lot of advice and shows me what it takes to be there and what it takes to stay there," the younger Sarr said.
But before he joins Olivier in the United States, Sarr has a role to play in the Wildcats' search for another NBL title.
It was the chance to compete for a trophy which attracted Sarr to Perth.
"I wanted to be part of the NBL because of the physicality of the league and how much the game looks like the NBA game," he explained.
"You're competing for something here.
"I think you improve the most when you're actually trying to win a game, so that was huge in my decision to come to the Wildcats."
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