Washington Wizards rookie Alex Sarr was criticized for his shooting woes in NBA Summer League, and the naysayers may get louder now that he shot 1-for-7 against the Boston Celtics in his NBA debut on Thursday night. However, veteran point guard Jordan Poole won’t have it.
Poole discussed his distaste for Sarr slander at Tuesday’s practice, via Monumental Sports Network’s Bijan Todd.
“Something that I told him earlier, it’s funny because right when he got to the league everybody was slandering him talking about his Summer League performances, blah, blah, blah,” Poole said. “I was telling him that when you get on the court with other NBA guys and guys on your team, our job is to make the game easier for you.”
With Sarr being just 19 years old, it’ll take time for him to adjust to the top level, especially against an elite opponent like the Celtics. However, veterans like Poole, Jonas Valanciunas, and Kyle Kuzma will help guide him through the storm.
Eventually, Sarr will be able to take advantage when said veterans have hot shooting nights, as defenses will eventually key in on stopping those players, thus creating more open looks for the rookie. In Thursday’s case, it was Poole’s show, as the former Golden State Warrior registered 26 points on 9-17 shooting, including 17 in the first quarter.
Poole explained how he’ll help Sarr settle into the offense.
“I think in the Toronto [Raptors] game when we played, you kinda saw the same thing, if you’re in ball screens with me, teams are gonna chase over, and a lot of the bigs are gonna press up heavy, so you’ll have opportunities to get your catch-and-shoots in the pocket, get your catch-and-shoots on the three and also get out in transition ’cause he’s mobile, he can run, he’s athletic,” Poole continued.
“He’s been good, he’s asking a lot of questions. I think he’s getting more comfortable playing multiple positions. I’m really excited for him…”
Poole isn’t only excited about Sarr, though.
Jordan Poole praised Wizards rookies after Celtics loss
Fellow Washington rookie Bub Carrington was a talking point after the game. The Pitt alum showed flashes, recording two blocks and playing tight defense on Jrue Holiday before going down with an ankle sprain.
Poole discussed how proud he was of Carrington and the unit as a whole, via Todd.
“I think something that’s really special about this team is especially with our young guys and a lot of our older guys is that we’re fearless. I like how Bub right away in the first quarter was battling with Jrue,” Poole said. “He’s bumping Jrue, nothing easy, he’ll take a hard foul. We’ve got guys who aren’t afraid to back down.”
The rookie trio of Sarr, Carrington, and Kyshawn George didn’t light up the box score, as they collectively scored just nine points. However, what matters is that they each showed signs of promise and got vital experience. It doesn’t hurt to have Poole’s leadership, either.
Related Washington Wizards NewsArticle continues below
“If you wanna be good, if you wanna continue to stay in this league for a long time, you’ve gotta have confidence in yourself. I’m telling them that I’m behind them every time, and I think we’re really connected as a unit,” Poole continued. “It’s good to have guys that are fearless, and once we start getting a little bit more games in and a little bit more comfortable, I think we’ll start putting all the pieces together.”
Speaking of being fearless, Sarr scored his first NBA points on a put-back dunk after a block on the other end, and George had a two-hand slam of his own while also getting defensive experience against Boston superstar Jayson Tatum.
“They both really did well. Ky, he’s been really good, really good. Impressive over the last couple of months just watching him play, watching him grow,” Poole continued. “He really wants to learn, really wants to get better. He looks comfortable out there to me. He’s built to guard whoever’s the best player, and same thing for Alex.”
For now, Wizards fans can expect defensive promise with occasional flashes on offense from the rookies. It takes time to put it all together, and Poole won’t rush their process.
“Obviously there’s a learning curve with every single player that comes into the league, but luckily enough for them they get to learn on the court. They get to learn in in-game experiences, and that’ll be so big for them down the line,” the 25-year-old said.
“I just told Alex that I’ll continue to be in his ear and build confidence in him, ’cause we all know how good he can be, we all know how good Kyshawn can be, we all know how good Bub can be. I’m excited just to help them and be apart of their process.”