He is tall. Like, really tall. If you’ve watched a single Washington Wizards game lately, you already know that Alex Sarr makes regular-sized humans look like they’re standing in a hole. But when you’re a top-tier NBA prospect turned franchise cornerstone, "tall" isn't a specific enough number for the scouts, the bettors, or the fans. People want the digits. They want the barefoot versus in-shoes debate settled once and for all.
The short answer? Alex Sarr is officially listed at 7 feet 0 inches by the NBA.
But wait. If you dig into the 2024 NBA Draft Combine data, things get a bit more granular. Before he ever put on a Wizards jersey, the French phenom was poked, prodded, and measured with surgical precision in Chicago. The tape measure didn't lie: he clocked in at 6'11.75" barefoot.
Why Alex Sarr height numbers seem to change
NBA heights are notoriously slippery. For decades, players added an inch or two just by keeping their sneakers on. Honestly, it’s a bit of a vanity thing. Sometimes a team wants their "seven-footer" to actually sound like one. In Sarr's case, that extra quarter-inch is basically irrelevant because his functional size—how big he plays on the court—is gargantuan.
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The Combine Breakdown
During the pre-draft process, the official measurements gave us a clearer picture of his frame:
- Height without shoes: 6'11.75"
- Height with shoes: 7'1"
- Weight: Roughly 224 lbs (though some listings show him at 205 lbs, he’s clearly been hitting the weights)
- Wingspan: A ridiculous 7'4.25"
When you’re talking about how tall is Alex Sarr, you have to talk about that wingspan. Height is just the vertical pole; the wingspan is the net. Having a reach that exceeds seven-foot-four means he can contest shots that other "tall" guys simply can't touch. It’s why he’s currently a nightmare for anyone trying to finish a layup anywhere near the restricted area.
Standing Reach and the "Gazelle" Factor
There’s a reason scouts like Jonathan Givony compared him to a young Tyson Chandler. It isn’t just the height. It’s the 9'2" standing reach. Basically, Sarr can almost touch the rim while standing flat-footed.
You've seen those players who are "fake tall"—they have height but no mobility. Sarr is the opposite. He moves like a wing. Watching a guy who is 7'1" in shoes slide his feet on the perimeter to stay in front of a point guard is, frankly, kind of terrifying. He’s often described as a "defensive gazelle" because he covers ground so quickly.
His height gives him the leverage, but his 37-inch max vertical leap is what finishes the job. Think about that for a second. You have a human who is nearly seven feet tall barefoot, and he can launch himself over three feet into the air. That puts his hand well above the top of the backboard.
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Comparing Sarr to Other Giants
How does he stack up against the other "unicorns" in the league?
- Victor Wembanyama: Wemby is in a different stratosphere at 7'4" (or more, depending on the day). Sarr is shorter, but he’s arguably more fluid in lateral movements.
- Chet Holmgren: Chet is listed around 7'1". Sarr has a bit more natural bulk and "pop" in his athleticism, though Chet has the edge in shooting for now.
- Dereck Lively II: Similar height, but Sarr offers more versatility as a potential floor-spacer.
Does the height actually help his offense?
Being how tall Alex Sarr is definitely helps with the "garbage buckets" and lobs. If you’re 7'1" in shoes, the distance between the ball and the hoop is much shorter. However, the Wizards are banking on him becoming more than just a rim-runner.
Lately, he’s been showing flashes of a mid-range game and even a three-point shot. When a guy that tall starts hitting jumpers, the defense is basically helpless. You can’t block a shot that starts seven feet in the air and is released even higher. He’s currently shooting about 34.5% from deep in the 2025-26 season, which is respectable enough to make defenders respect the height on the perimeter.
The weight has always been the question mark. Coming into the league at 224 pounds, there were worries he’d get bullied. And yeah, some of the "grown man" centers in the NBA still give him trouble in the post. But his height and length allow him to recover even when he gets bumped off his spot.
What’s next for the French Big Man?
As Sarr continues to grow into his frame—literally and figuratively—the height will only become more of an advantage. He’s only 20 years old. Most guys don't even finish "filling out" until they’re 23 or 24.
If you want to track his progress, keep an eye on his rebounding numbers. His height should naturally lead to double-digit boards, but he’s currently hovering around 7.6 per game. As he learns to use his 7'4" wingspan to box out more effectively, those numbers will jump.
Check the official NBA box scores for the Washington Wizards to see how his defensive impact (blocks and altered shots) correlates with his minutes played. Pay attention to his lateral quickness when he switches onto guards—this is the real "cheat code" of his 7-foot frame. You can also follow his development through the French National Team stats, where he’s already becoming a primary defensive anchor.