Alex Sarr to the Wizards at No. 2 Has Fans Energized by Rebuild After 2024 NBA Draft

The Washington Wizards' rebuild will begin with 7-foot-1 big man Alex Sarr.

The Wizards used the No. 2 pick of the 2024 NBA Draft to select the NBL standout Wednesday night.

After trading small forward Deni Avdija, the Wizards are now set to build the 2024-25 roster around Sarr as they begin the climb back to playoff contention.

Some fans believed Sarr's selection explained why the Wizards decided to deal Avdija to the Portland Trail Blazers earlier on draft day.

Many viewers saw Sarr as the obvious choice for Washington after the Atlanta Hawks selected French league standout Zaccharie Risacher with the No. 1 pick of the draft.

Although NCAA standouts like UConn's Stephon Castle and Kentucky's Reed Sheppard remained on the board, the Wizards chose to focus on defense for their second straight first-round selection.

This isn't the first time this year a Washington sports team has chosen a player near the top of a draft.

Sarr's selection comes two months after the Washington Commanders used the No. 2 pick of the 2024 NFL Draft to select quarterback Jayden Daniel.

Sarr's selection also comes just one year after the Wizards added small forward Bilal Coulibaly with the No. 7 pick of the 2023 draft.

The Wizards could see further roster turnover this week, as forward Kyle Kuzma has been the subject of trade rumors heading into the draft.

Whatever trade decisions Washington makes this week, the team's plans of making it back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1979 will hinge on a young frontcourt led by their 2023 and 2024 first-round picks.