Interview with Alexandre Sarr, a withdrawal but a desire for the future: « It really makes you want to be part of the team »

After showing great promise against Slovenia last Saturday, Alexandre Sarr (7’1″, 20 years old) couldn’t build on that strong performance with the French team. The Blues’ center suffered a muscle injury in his calf that forced him to end his tournament prematurely.

Unlike Matthew Strazel, the Toulouse native won’t be able to stay with Frédéric Fauthoux’s squad for the rest of EuroBasket 2025. The Washington Wizards, his employer, ordered him to return to the United States after the Iceland game to undergo rehabilitation there before the 2025-2026 NBA preseason. Before leaving, the former player of Le Bouscat, TOAC Basket, Toulouse Cheminots Marengo, Tropik’Club Toulouse, Basket Labège Auzeville Club, Bruguières Basket Club, Real Madrid, Overtime Elite and Perth Wildcats answered our questions this Wednesday, September 3rd in Katowice.

On Tuesday, we learned about your withdrawal from EuroBasket. First, how are you feeling physically? And most importantly, how are you handling this moment?

I’m a bit disappointed not to be able to continue. It’s tough obviously, but it’s part of the game. Now, I need to do my rehab and continue supporting the guys.

Can you describe the moment? We know it happened early in the game against Slovenia. What happened? Did you feel something when landing or did the pain come later?

It was in the first quarter. I’m not sure exactly which play, but I felt a small pain in my calf when I was by myself. I could tell it wasn’t from contact. Throughout the game, when I was warm, it was okay. But after the game, as I cooled down, I started feeling more and more pain.

How did you experience these two games in street clothes on the bench? Especially the game against Israel which didn’t go as you would have liked?

The energy wasn’t the best against Israel. I just wanted to try to encourage the guys, try to share what I was seeing.

How frustrated were you during these two games, especially against Israel with the rebounding problems and the eventual loss, not being able to help your teammates on the court? Also because Freddy (Fauthoux) had noticed your progress game after game and ultimately, this Euro was also an opportunity to show yourself and take a step forward.

It was mainly an opportunity to help the team win games. But I think even without me, with the versatile group we have, they’ll be able to do what we’ve been doing since the start of preparation. And they’ll continue playing with our identity, which is playing tough defense, running in transition and being a really tenacious team.

What’s your schedule moving forward? We know you’re leaving the group after the pool phase in Katowice and heading back to Washington D.C.

Yes, I should return to Washington to assess the situation, then training camp and the season. I need to go back to Washington for rehab and see what they tell me.

Aren’t you frustrated knowing you’ll leave the group while your teammates head to Riga? Didn’t you want to stay with the group, like Matthew?

Yes, it’s annoying having to leave them so soon. I was able to stay for the last two games, three games total (including Thursday’s game against Iceland). But after that, when they leave, I’ll have to return to get treatment with Washington. It’s kind of their (the Wizards’) decision.

« I think I gained a lot of experience »

Alexandre Sarr, on his first experience with the senior French national team

What will you take away from this first experience with the senior national team that lasted a good month?

I think I gained a lot of experience. These were my very first games with the senior national team. I learned a lot of things. I was also able to improve a lot, I think. It just makes me want to be part of more competitions, do another Euro as soon as I can, the World Championship, everything. We have a good group. I really can’t wait to see all these guys again, either during the season or during the summer.

In which aspect of your game and the game in general did you improve?

Just the FIBA game, which is a bit different from what we do in the NBA. The spacing is different, the defense too. So I was able to improve in that sense, I’d say, in terms of helping the team here.

Even though next year there are only World Cup qualifying games, does this time with the national team make you want to come back even stronger, to dominate at the international level?

Yes, definitely. It really makes you want to be part of the group, be one of the twelve (selected players) for the coming years and continue what the guys have already started very well for us.

Will you stay in touch with the guys on the WhatsApp group? Will you send them encouragement?

Yes, definitely. We’re a group. I’ll stay in it. I’m cool with all the guys. We even knew each other from before. So yes, definitely. I’ll watch the games. We’ll stay in touch.