{"id":519458,"date":"2026-01-06T03:48:26","date_gmt":"2026-01-06T03:48:26","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/519458\/"},"modified":"2026-01-06T03:48:26","modified_gmt":"2026-01-06T03:48:26","slug":"rudy-gobert-gives-alex-sarr-body-advice-after-timberwolves-crush-wizards-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/519458\/","title":{"rendered":"Rudy Gobert gives Alex Sarr \u2018body\u2019 advice after Timberwolves crush Wizards"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rudy Gobert gives Alex Sarr \u2018body\u2019 advice after Timberwolves crush Wizards<\/a> appeared first on ClutchPoints<\/a>. Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here<\/a>.<\/p>\n

WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2014 Second-year Washington Wizards center Alex Sarr<\/a> has established himself as one of the best players in his draft class this season, but he didn\u2019t play that way in his team\u2019s 141-115 loss to the Minnesota Timberwolves on Sunday. The biggest reason was four-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year Rudy Gobert<\/a>, who schooled him on both ends.<\/p>\n

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The latter player told ClutchPoints postgame the advice he has<\/a> for Sarr moving forward.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has all the talent and all the skills, I think it\u2019s just his body. Keep working on your body, keep getting stronger,\u201d Gobert said. \u201cAs a seven-footer, being someone who\u2019s very long, your game is very high-impact. I think that\u2019s gonna be key for him, being available for his team every night.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sarr has more offensive skill than Gobert and is only one inch shorter, but the three-time All-Star is 53 pounds heavier, which comes in handy down low. The two big men matched up against each other throughout the game, and Gobert tallied 18 points (8-10 FG) with 14 rebounds, four blocks, and one turnover over 29 minutes, while Sarr had just seven points (3-10 FG, 1-2 3-point) with three rebounds, four assists, two turnovers, and one steal across 26 minutes.<\/p>\n

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\u201cKeep getting stronger, keep working on your recovery, your cardio, your strength,\u201d the fellow Frenchman continued. \u201cAll these things are gonna help him be who he can be, and I think he can be a great player on both ends. The things he\u2019s been doing defensively have been impressing me. I didn\u2019t think he was going to do that right now, so it\u2019s cool to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

Sarr leads the NBA with 2.3 blocks<\/a> per game despite being on a minutes restriction as he works back from an adductor injury. Combine that with the fact that the 20-year-old is averaging 17.2 points on 49.9 percent shooting (35.5 percent 3-point) with three assists despite having no consistent point guard to open up looks for him, and it\u2019s clear why Gobert respects him.<\/p>\n

However, physical dominance will always be essential to a center\u2019s success in the NBA, even in today\u2019s three-point-heavy era. Sunday\u2019s game showed that Sarr has room to improve in that area.<\/p>\n

The 2024 No. 2 overall pick is listed at seven feet, 205 pounds, while Gobert is seven-foot-one, 258 pounds. Even the most skilled player in the world couldn\u2019t outmuscle the heavier man in that situation, and that\u2019s a problem at a position where rebounding and rim protection are two of the biggest responsibilities. It\u2019s hard to get rebounds over and defend inside against significantly stronger players.<\/p>\n

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Luckily for Sarr, he has time to beef up over the coming years. Once the 2025 first-team All-Rookie honoree does so while also maintaining his agility, he could become better than Gobert ever was due to his offensive talent. Similar to Gobert, Sarr has played for the French national team and is one of the best French hoopers in the world, so he\u2019s on the right track.<\/p>\n

Gobert\u2019s advice also exemplifies how generous veterans can be with their knowledge, even the ones on opposing teams. Picking their brains could be fruitful for Sarr, as multi-time All-Stars have stacked resumes for a reason.<\/p>\n

CJ McCollum makes Anthony Edwards admission after 35-point game\"\u00a9<\/p>\n

\u00a9 Geoff Burke-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Gobert wasn\u2019t the only Minnesota player who showed out at Capital One Arena on Sunday night. Superstar guard Anthony Edwards had a typically electric performance, totaling 35 points (14-21 FG, 6-10 3-point) with six rebounds, four steals, and three assists over 30 minutes.<\/p>\n

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Veteran Wizards guard CJ McCollum responded to a question with a question when asked if there\u2019s any way to even slightly throw elite players<\/a> like Edwards off their game.<\/p>\n

\u201cHow many points does he average?\u201d the 34-year-old asked.<\/p>\n

\u201c29 or 30,\u201d ClutchPoints responded.<\/p>\n

\u201cSo you\u2019re not stopping him; he\u2019s getting 30 a night,\u201d he continued. \u201cA bad night is 28, right? So I think it\u2019s just about making it difficult, making him shoot tough twos. He\u2019s gonna get his threes off and get to the rim, and tonight he scored at all three levels like he\u2019s done all year. He got four or five over his average tonight.\u201d<\/p>\n

Edwards now ranks seventh in the NBA with 29.4 points per game on 50.6 percent shooting (40 percent 3-point) entering Monday night\u2019s slate. The 24-year-old is the biggest reason why the Timberwolves made the Western Conference Finals the past two seasons and playoff appearances the past four. Now, they occupy the West\u2019s sixth seed and are just 2.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs for the second spot.<\/p>\n

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Once Washington develops\/acquires a player of that caliber, and once Sarr gets as strong as Gobert, then it could have similar team success. The bright side for the Wizards is that they\u2019ll have the resources to accomplish that goal in the summer, either by drafting a star prospect in the lottery or using their projected nine-figure salary cap space under the first apron<\/a> (per Spotrac) to get a veteran stud.<\/p>\n

Up next for Washington is a home date with the Orlando Magic on Tuesday before a road matchup with the Philadelphia 76ers on Wednesday.<\/p>\n

Related: NBA rumors: Trae Young, Hawks working on trade, with Wizards named potential suitor<\/a><\/p>\n

Related: NBA rumors: Wizards named \u2018legitimate\u2019 trade suitor for Hawks\u2019 Trae Young<\/a><\/p>\n