MEMPHIS, Tenn. – Former Kentucky men’s basketball forward Olivier Sarr will get his opportunity to land a deal in the NBA by signing a Summer League contract with the Memphis Grizzlies.
Sarr, a 7-foot forward who played the 2020-21 season at UK, was a part of the 2021 NBA Draft classalongside Isaiah Jackson, Brandon Boston Jr. and the late Terrence Clarke. Although Sarr went undrafted last week, he will compete alongside and against NBA hopefuls in the 2021 Summer League, which began Tuesday with the NBA Salt Lake City Summer League.
The Salt Lake City League, which features Sarr and former UK players Nate Sestina (Utah Blue) and Skal Labissière (San Antonio Spurs), will go through Friday. The league in Las Vegas will begin Sunday and feature all 30 teams.
The NBA Summer League marks an important time of the year for professional players to either earn a free-agent contract, solidify their spot on an NBA roster, or develop and earn additional playing time for the NBA regular season.
Additional Wildcats are expected to compete in the NBA Summer League, including 2021 draftees Jackson (No. 22 to Indiana Pacers via the Los Angeles Lakers) and Boston (No. 51 to the Los Angeles Clippers via the Grizzlies). John Calipari announced last week that Reid Travis will get a shot with the New York Knicks. Other NBA Summer League roster additions will be announced later.
Sarr spent a season at UK after transferring from Wake Forest. He averaged 10.8 points, 5.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game for the Wildcats and led the team with three double-doubles. Sarr played a leading role by way of production and leadership. One of three team captains, Sarr played and started in all 25 games last season with 14 double-figure scoring games and four double-digit rebounding performances.
After transferring from Wake Forest, where he averaged 13.7 points and 9.0 rebounds per game during the 2019-20 season, Sarr shot 47.0% from the floor at Kentucky and a career-best 79.1% from the free-throw line. The 7-footer also showed range from the outside with a career-high 12 3-pointers on 46.2% shooting. Sarr led UK in blocks in eight games. The Frenchman played his best basketball down the stretch, scoring in double figures in nine of the final 12 games, including 14 or more points in the last three games.
Sarr’s best statistical performance last season was a 24-point, seven-rebound effort in the home victory vs. Vanderbilt. He made 5 of 10 from the floor and 14 of 17 from the free-throw line, both career bests. He also scored 22 points, grabbed seven rebounds and blocked three shots in a near-incredible comeback vs. Notre Dame.
At Wake Forest, Sarr played in 85 career games with 31 starts. He was an All-Atlantic Coast Conference Third Team selection and the runner-up for ACC Most Improved Player in 2019-20.
Sarr, one of 30 candidates for the 2021 Senior CLASS Award, graduated in May with a degree communication.
In 12 seasons with Calipari at the helm, Kentucky has churned out three No. 1 selections, 32 first-rounders, 21 lottery picks and 43 total players in the NBA Draft. The 43 draft picks are 15 more than the next closest school (Duke). The 32 first-rounders are more than the entire Big Ten (29) combined in that timeframe.
With Jackson’s selection in the opening round this year, UK has now had at least one player taken in the opening round in each of the last 12 drafts under Calipari. That’s the longest streak in the modern draft era (since 1966). Calipari’s streak is 14 straight dating back to his time at Memphis.
Of the 70 players who have finished their college careers at UK under Calipari, 43 have been selected in the NBA Draft, a 61.4% success rate. Another five of those made the NBA, and the majority of the rest were walk-ons. Those numbers do not include Clarke.
Calipari’s players have entered the league NBA-ready. His players have garnered 23 All-Star selections, with Anthony Davis winning the game’s MVP honor in 2017. Derrick Rose was named NBA MVP in 2011. Six of his players have been tabbed All-NBA, three have been named NBA Rookie of the Year, and 15 players from Calipari’s first 11 teams at Kentucky have made the NBA All-Rookie teams.
Using figures compiled by basketball-reference.comand spotrac.com, Calipari-coached players only (which includes Derrick Rose but not Rajon Rondo) have amassed nearly $3 billion ($2.96) in career NBA contracts. In the 12 seasons Calipari has been the head coach at Kentucky, his players have totaled nearly $2.6 billion in NBA contracts. In just the 2020-21 season alone, former UK players made more than $295 million.
For the latest on the Kentucky men’s basketball team, follow @KentuckyMBB on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and on the web at UKathletics.com.