Top international basketball prospect Dame Sarr has committed to Duke, he told ESPN on Thursday.
“Duke was my dream school,” Sarr said. “I watched a lot of NCAA games this season, especially Duke. I played with Jabari Parker this season, who went to Duke. When I had the chance to go there, I had to take it.”
“My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA, “Sarr continued. “There’s no better place to prepare you for that than Duke. For me to be as NBA-ready as possible, and become the best version of myself, I needed to have both experiences — playing for a pro team like Barcelona, and playing in a different type of professional environment like Duke against other players my age. Opportunity, minutes, repetition — this route is the best next step for me at this time.”
The 6-foot-8 wing from Italy made his Spanish ACB league debut for Barcelona as a 16-year old in 2023, the second-youngest player in club history to do so. He became a rotation player for them in the Euroleague and ACB this season. He made his debut with the Italian senior national team last November, after previously starring for it at the FIBA U16 and U18 Eurobaskets.
“I’m very grateful for this season,” Sarr said. “I improved a lot as a player and person. My teammates and some of the coaching staff were great to me. It’s because of them that I had this opportunity. They are a part of my growth and I appreciate them for that.”
Sarr had a breakout showing in front of NBA scouts last month at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon, posting 17 points and 4 rebounds in 25 minutes against a group of elite US high school players, including A.J. Dybantsa and future Duke teammates Cameron and Cayden Boozer.
His decision to attend the event, however, created a backlash, as Barcelona released a statement criticizing him for departing the team without approval. The club initially responded positively to Sarr’s invitation to attend the Hoop Summit earlier in the season, but later rescinded that when he became an important fixture in the team’s rotation. His amateur contract with the club expires next month.
“We had an agreement to allow me to go to Hoop Summit,” Sarr said. “I didn’t feel it was right to withdraw from the game after having accepted the invite based on their approval. My teammates supported me in my decision, this is already in the past, we ended everything on great terms, and I still love Barcelona.”
Sarr looks poised to step into an important role on the wing next season at Duke alongside rising sophomore Isaiah Evans. Washington State transfer Cedric Coward was initially slated to fill that role after committing to play for Duke last month, but appears likely to stay in the NBA draft at the May 28 deadline.
Sarr says he plans to bring versatility on both ends of the floor to complement a young roster highlighted by a trio of incoming McDonald’s All Americans in the Boozer brothers and forward Nikolas Khamenia, as well as returning players Evans, Caleb Foster, Patrick Ngongba, Malique Lewis and Darren Harris.
“Duke is losing Kon Knueppel and Tyrese Proctor — who have a similar playing style as me,” Sarr said. “My winning mentality and ability to play alongside other good players, while creating shots for myself and others, will help me, along with my offense and defensive versatility. It’s a talented roster. We need the pieces to fit in well.”
Sarr just completed an official visit to Duke and says he plans to officially enroll at the school after obtaining his visa next month.
Jonathan Givony is an NBA draft expert and the founder and co-owner of DraftExpress.com, a private scouting and analytics service utilized by NBA, NCAA and International teams.
