Wizards rookie Alex Sarr's defense draws Jonas Valanciunas 'best in the league' admission

10/26/2024 05:22 PM

Washington Wizards No. 2 overall pick Alex Sarr didn’t stuff the stat sheet in Thursday night’s 122-102 loss to the Boston Celtics, but he showed flashes of the exciting potential that made him a top prospect. Veteran big man Jonas Valanciunas already thinks that the French international is one of the league’s best rim protectors.

Valanciunas said that Sarr knows how to “read the game.”

I asked Jonas Valanciunas what he thought of Alex Sarr's defensive performance against the Celtics. He said Sarr's shot blocking ability is "one of the best in the league." #wizardspic.twitter.com/6aJMjDFPoE

— Joshua Valdez (@joshvaldez100) October 25, 2024

“His shot-blocking ability is one of the best in the league. He’s still a young player, still growing, still learning, you know, in the gym all the time,” the 32-year-old said. “You know, shot-blocking is about reading the game, you know, about the sense. He’s got that, and he’s going up from there.”

Sarr had two blocks and four defensive rebounds across 22 minutes against the defending champion Celtics, while also guarding Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown on the perimeter. The 19-year-old’s next test comes against Cleveland Cavaliers power forward Evan Mobley on Saturday night, a big man who can handle the ball and score on all three levels.

However, Valanciunas will be there to help when needed. Washington’s pair of a promising rookie and a grizzled veteran at the four and five spots balances fresh legs with experience and high basketball IQ, something that’ll benefit both Sarr’s development and the team’s defense as a whole.

Valanciunas hit the ground running on Thursday, scoring 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting with five rebounds and two assists across 20 minutes off the bench. Washington went with a small starting lineup, using three guards with Kyle Kuzma at power forward and Sarr at center. However, with the Cavaliers’ big-man duo of Mobley and Jarrett Allen, expect Valanciunas to get more minutes.

Jonas Valanciunas is a vital piece for Wizards

Valanciunas is not only a valuable rim protector, but his screen-setting on offense helps generate open looks for his teammates. The 6-foot-11, 265-pounder is essentially a brick wall for whoever he’s screening for.

Second-year shooting guard Bilal Coulibaly loves having Valanciunas at his disposal, via Monumental Sports Network’s Bijan Todd.

Bilal Coulibaly LOVES playing with Jonas Valanciunas.

"He's a force. Whenever he sets a screen for me, I feel like I'm wide open right after." pic.twitter.com/GpQbfEtLHq

— Bijan Todd (@bijan_todd) October 23, 2024

“Oh, he’s a force, like whenever he sets a screen for me, I feel like I’m wide-open right after,” the French international said. “Whenever he sets a screen to me, I’m like damn, I can’t get over it. So yeah, he’s a force…”

Coulibaly is one of several young Wizards still finding his way in the NBA, so having a big man like Valanciunas to help him get open is an invaluable asset. The 20-year-old struggled to find open looks against Boston, scoring just eight points on 1-for-2 shooting across 30 minutes, although he did have six rebounds and six assists.

However, Valanciunas’ role isn’t all about helping his teammates develop. The Lithuanian international must also produce individually for Washington to find success, especially against tough matchups like Allen on Saturday night. The 6-foot-9, 243-pounder already has five blocks through just two games and is one of the NBA’s best rim protectors.

Valanciunas, though, is a good bet to be an efficient shooter around the rim and a dependable rebounder. The 2011 fifth-overall pick averaged 12.2 points on 55.9% shooting with 8.8 rebounds across 23.5 minutes per game for the New Orleans Pelicans last season. Having such a high-percentage shooter provides a good safety net for a Wizards offense which often has peaks and valleys.

Valanciunas may not be around for the end of Washington’s rebuild, but there’s no question that he’s one of its most important helping hands at the moment.

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