Alexandre Sarr out for the rest of EuroBasket!
Sept 2, 2025
Alexandre Lacoste
ITW Alexandre Sarr, injured but eager for the future: « It really makes me want to be part of the team »
French National Team - Sidelined with a calf injury, Alexandre Sarr is out for the rest of EuroBasket 2025. Before leaving the French team after the first round in Katowice, he discussed his injury and his desire to rejoin Les Bleus in the future.
Photo Credit : Julie Dumélié
After a promising performance against Slovenia last Saturday, Alexandre Sarr (7’1″, 20) couldn’t build on that momentum with the French team. The center suffered a calf muscle injury forcing 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 remainder of EuroBasket 2025. The Washington Wizards, his employer, ordered him to return to the United States after the Iceland game to undergo rehabilitation before the 2025-26 NBA preseason. Before departing, 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. How are you feeling and how are you handling it?
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.
What exactly happened during the Slovenia game?
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 knew it wasn’t from contact. Throughout the game, when I was warm, it was manageable. But after the game, as I cooled down, I started feeling more and more pain.
How did you experience the last two games from the bench, especially against Israel?
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, especially against Israel with the rebounding issues and the loss, not being able to help your teammates on the court?
It was mainly an opportunity to help the team win games. But I think even without me, with the versatile group we have, they can continue doing what we’ve been doing since the start of preparation. And they’ll keep playing with our identity, which is playing tough defense, running in transition and being a really tenacious team.
What’s your schedule moving forward?
Yes, I should return to Washington after the group phase to check things out, 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 not to stay with the team in Riga?
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 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 French senior team
What will you take away from this first experience with the French national team?
I think I gained a lot of experience. These are my very first steps with the senior national team. I learned a lot of things. I also feel I can improve much more. It just makes me want to be part of more competitions, do another EuroBasket as soon as I can, World Championship, everything. We have a good group. I really can’t wait to see all these guys again, either during the season or in summer.
Head coach Frédéric Fauthoux noted your progress. In which aspects of your game?
Just with FIBA basketball, which is a bit different from what we do in the NBA. The spacing is different, defense too. So I was able to improve in that sense, I’d say, in terms of helping the team here.
« He’s improving tremendously »: Alexandre Sarr essential against Slovenia
August 31, 2025
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve
Even though next year there are just World Cup qualification games, does this experience with the national team make you want to come back even stronger, to dominate at the international level?
Yes, definitely. It really makes me want to be part of the team, be one of the twelve (selected players) for the coming years and continue what the guys have already started so well before us.
Will you stay in touch with the guys through the WhatsApp group?
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, for sure. I’ll watch the games. We’ll stay in communication.
Interview conducted in Katowice,
Gabriel Pantel-Jouve est le fondateur et rédacteur en chef de BeBasket, qu’il anime depuis 2010 (sous le nom de Catch & Shoot). Passé par l’Ecole Publique de Journaliste de Tours, puis deux universités en Amérique du Nord, il a pu développer son expertise sur le basket français, de la Ligue Nationale aux divisions amateurs, durant ces 20 dernières années. En parallèle, il est aussi engagé dans le développement de clubs du côté de Montpellier.
Commentaires