When we talk about the French contingent in the NBA, we often talk about the veterans (Nicolas Batum, Rudy Gobert, Evan Fournier), the new crop of rookies (Victor Wembanyama, Bilal Coulibaly), the young people who are trying to break through (Killian Hayes, Theo Maledon), and those who have been in the NBA for a while with a particular playing profile (Frank Ntilikina). On the other hand, it is rare to hear the name ofOlivier Sarr.
Aged 24, Olivier Sarr is entering his third NBA season. Undrafted upon leaving Kentucky in 2021, Alex’s big brother landed in the G League with the Oklahoma City Blue, a franchise affiliated with the Thunder. With his athletic interior profile who can shoot 3-pointers, Olivier Sarr immediately seduced Sam Presti, the general manager of the Thunder.
Before the second face to face between the Thunder and the Warriors in 3 days, DNA of Sports went to check on the Frenchman. Olivier Sarr explains his collaboration with the Thunder on his status as a “two-way contract” player, announces his individual objectives, and discusses his team’s style of play and good start to the season.
Olivier, you signed a new “two-way contract” with the Thunder this summer. We imagine that you were looking for a guaranteed contract, and we wondered if you had considered other alternatives before accepting this contract?
The goal is not to have a “two-way contract” in the NBA. That’s nobody’s goal. Obviously, we always want more. Now I had a good situation with the Thunder, and so I’m still here to take this opportunity and show that I can claim a guaranteed contract.
Can you explain to our readers how it works for a player on a two-way contract? Do you have a schedule planned in advance for when you will be with the Thunder and when you will be with the Blue?
First, I can’t play more than 50 games in the NBA with my contract. After that, it all depends on the team’s approach to knowing when I stay with the Thunder or when I am sent to the G League. For the moment since it’s my third year with them, we’re more of a collaboration. That is to say that there are discussions with the coach and if there is a moment when they think about sending me to the G League, he will still ask me my opinion to know if I think it would be better for me to go to the G League or if I want to stay with the Thunder. He also asks me what game I prefer to play in the G League, if I want to travel with the team, if I just want to play at home. So there really is a dialogue.
“Gain playing time, gain experience and play to my strengths”
Since you haven’t played with the OKC Blue yet this season, have you already had the discussions you just described?
Not yet. We have had discussions to establish the guideline and the collaboration that I mentioned but for the moment, we have not yet discussed the moment when I would go to the G league for the first time.
We imagine that shuttling between the two teams can be difficult. Do the Blue play the same style and systems as the Thunder?
Completely. For once, it’s really the same thing and it makes things easier when you alternate between the two teams.
What are your personal goals for this season?
For me, it’s continuing to prove that I belong in the NBA, gaining playing time, gaining experience and playing to my strengths. That is to say, bring energy, take open 3-point shots, put pressure on the rim, defend hard and protect the rim. If I can excel in these areas, everything will be fine.
The “drive and kick”, the Thunder’s number 1 weapon!
You have four victories in a row, you are fourth in the West, and yet many people are surprised by your success. What do you think this is due to?
Frankly, we no longer pay much attention to people who are still surprised. Too bad for them… Afterwards, we remain a young team and I think that has a lot to do with the perception that some people may have of our team. That said, our group has still gained a lot of experience over the past two or three years and we are progressing and people continue to be surprised.
Tactically, your offensive identity is based on “drives & kicks” (penetration then passing to the outside). Was it surprising to you to see the Warriors unable to shut down the middle on your rim attacks?
We have a game that is difficult to defend because we have several offensive weapons. When you have to slow down Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, or Jalen Williams, and you also have to limit 3-point shots, and try to prevent an alley oop… That’s a lot! You can’t stop everything. We have the advantage of having players who are excellent at attacking the racket. Whether it’s Shai or Dub (Jalen Williams), and even other players who are quick, who know how to change direction and pace while also being able to take 3-point shots, mid-range shots . So it’s complicated to make a choice and our opponents are forced to choose their poison and that opens up opportunities for other players.
You are also the most skillful team in the league at three points (39.5%) since the start of the season. Before the meeting, Mark Daigneault, your coach, said that the staff uses data to measure the quality of the 3-point shots you take depending on the player and the spot on the court. How does this translate into practice?
As you said, we are the NBA team that does the most drives and kicks. We are the team that attacks the racket the most and so obviously that opens up a lot of things outside. We have very good shooters, so we place a lot of importance on this “inside-out” approach to create good shots. The emphasis is really on the quality of the shots we take. We don’t want to create just any shot, we really work to get certain types of shots and obviously open shots. The staff have really insisted on this since the start of the season. So far we’re doing a good job creating quality shots and that gives us the opportunity to have more success from afar.
Comments collected in San Francisco.
| Olivier Sarr | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2021-22 | OKAY | 22 | 19 | 57.4 | 44.8 | 82.8 | 1.6 | 2.7 | 4.2 | 0.9 | 2.4 | 0.3 | 1.0 | 0.7 | 7.0 |
| 2022-23 | OKAY | 9 | 13 | 50.0 | 12.5 | 71.4 | 1.3 | 2.1 | 3.4 | 0.4 | 1.9 | 0.1 | 0.4 | 0.6 | 4.0 |
| 2023-24 | OKAY | 4 | 11 | 100.0 | 0.0 | 66.7 | 0.8 | 3.8 | 4.5 | 0.3 | 1.5 | 0.0 | 0.5 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| Total | 35 | 17 | 56.1 | 37.8 | 78.6 | 1.4 | 2.7 | 4.1 | 0.7 | 2.1 | 0.2 | 0.8 | 0.7 | 5.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
