How good was Dame Sarr for Barcelona? Looking back at the Euroleague career of Jon Scheyer’s Duke recruit out of Italy

One of the most highly regarded international basketball prospects, Dame Sarr, has officially committed to play for the Duke Blue Devils next season. The 18-year-old Italian impressed NBA scouts at the 2024 Nike Hoop Summit in April and called his move to Jon Scheyer’s Blue Devils a dream come true.

"My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA," Sarr said (per ESPN). "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, ... this route is the best next step for me at this time."

Dame Sarr began his professional career in 2023 with Barcelona and made his debut in Spain’s Liga ACB at 16, becoming the second-youngest player ever to appear for the club. He also earned a spot on Italy’s senior national team last year.

In four Liga ACB games, Sarr averaged 19.3 minutes, 13.8 points, 2.8 rebounds, 1.8 assists and nearly a block per game. He shot 68.0% overall, 57.0% from 3-point range and 56.0% from the free-throw line. Before that stretch, he had played more than 10 minutes in a game only once, in December.

FC Barcelona v Casademont Zaragoza - Liga Endesa ACB - Source: Image via Getty

Sarr’s emergence wasn't limited to domestic competition. In a EuroLeague road win against Milano, he played 18 minutes and scored 13 points. For the EuroLeague season, he averaged 1.8 ppg, 0.7 rpg, 0.6 apg, 0.4 spg and 0.1 bpg.

His rapid rise earned him a spot at the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon. Sarr started for Team World and delivered an impressive performance, scoring 17 points and grabbing four rebounds in a 124–114 loss to Team USA.

Sarr reportedly attended the Hoop Summit without Barcelona’s approval. Although the club had initially supported his participation earlier in the season, it was said to have reversed course after he became an integral part of the rotation.

“I didn’t feel it was right to pull out,” Sarr told ESPN on Thursday.

Following the event, Barcelona and Sarr issued a joint statement on April 17 announcing he would not play for the club for the remainder of the season.

Dame Sarr commits to Duke, boosting Blue Devils' 2025 roster

Duke Blue Devils secured the commitment of Dame Sarr on Thursday. The 6-foot-8 forward is known for his 7-foot wingspan and is projected as a first-round pick in the 2026 NBA draft.

Sarr fills a key roster need for coach Jon Scheyer, who continues to build a team centered on size and versatility. With Caleb Foster, Isaiah Evans, Dame Sarr, Cam Boozer and either Maliq Brown or Patrick Ngongba, Scheyer is projected to have a starting-five average height of 6-foot-8 next season.

Sarr, born in 2006, is one of Europe’s top prospects. At the Nike Hoop Summit in April, Sarr represented Team World, and his performance in practices earned praise from scouts and coaches alike.

Sarr also stood out at the 2023 FIBA U18 European Championship in Finland, where he led Italy in scoring (13.4 points) and assists (4.7), and finished second in rebounds (6.3) per game.