EuroBasket 2025 is in the final few days of group play, with France qualified for the round of 16. Unfortunately for them, Washington Wizards big man Alex Sarr will be out for the remainder of the tournament after sustaining a calf injury.
Wizards Big Man Out For EuroBasket After Concerning Injury
We wish a speedy recovery to Alex, who will miss the remainder of #EuroBasket due to a calf injury
pic.twitter.com/L5k23MKCSy
— FIBA EuroBasket (@EuroBasket) September 2, 2025
Sarr had been playing some good basketball throughout the tournament and was looking like a completely different athlete ahead of the 2025-26 NBA season. Now, Washington’s front office will need to hope that the injury doesn’t set back his progress.
Sarr’s International Play
Through Sarr’s first two games in EuroBasket, he averaged 9.5 points, 4.5 rebounds, and half an assist in just under 20 minutes of play. Sarr originally injured his calf in the game against Slovenia on Saturday. However, after missing France’s lone loss against Israel, the news broke that Sarr would miss the remainder of the tournament.
Recent Calf Injuries
Sarr’s calf injury isn’t expected to be a significant problem. According to The Athletic’s Josh Robbins, the team doesn’t believe he’ll miss considerable time.
Although Alex Sarr will miss the remainder of the EuroBasket tournament because of a left calf injury, Wizards officials expect that he’ll be ready for the start of the season, a team source said. The injury will not require surgery. https://t.co/ngjQds1SU9
— Josh Robbins (@JoshuaBRobbins) September 2, 2025
With the calf injury not looking overly serious, Sarr could return to basketball activities as soon as training camp. That starts on October 1st..
Calf injuries aren’t uncommon, but they’re serious and could be season-ending and career-altering if not taken care of properly. Just this postseason, three superstars, Jayson Tatum, Damian Lillard, and Tyrese Haliburton, all suffered an Achilles injury after reporting calf pain or tightness.
France likely doesn’t want to take a chance on ruining the young star’s sophomore campaign in the NBA. With the injury, Sarr will need to take some time off, which could go one of two ways heading into his second season with Washington.
The Positives
On the bright side, Sarr has had a very impressive summer. While it came to an end early, the big man can take September to rest up and get healthy for training camp and the NBA preseason. Sarr will need to really put on a show this year, as he could be used to attract Washington’s next big free agent.
Sarr will need to build mightily off his rookie campaign. While he finished on the All-Rookie First Team, his rookie campaign was a battle of inconsistency. Across 67 games, the 20-year-old averaged 13.0 points, 6.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 1.5 blocks. He’ll need to be more consistent on the offensive end, as he shot 39.4% from the field and 30.8% from three.
The Negatives
On the other hand, Sarr’s injury could set back his extremely positive growth this summer. Currently, he’s looking at being a sure-lock for Washington’s future. However, another average season could put him in a similar position as French teammate Bilal Coulibaly is in, and the pressure could start as early as this season.
If that’s the case, Sarr could see a minutes reduction, fewer opportunities on the offensive end, and even find himself in negotiations towards the trade deadline. While this is worst-case scenario stuff, it’s something to think about as he’s working back to full health.
The Last Word
Overall, the injury shouldn’t be too concerning. Sarr has shown a lot of growth this summer, similar to fellow 2024 draftee Kyshawn George. George impressed in the AmeriCup with his all-around contributions. Washington needs to take care of Sarr’s injury and not rush him back. Barring setbacks, he should be ready for the start of the season.
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Featured image: Scott Kinser-Imagn Images
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