‘Definitely the right move’: Sarr’s agent praises Wildcats

Quique Villalobos, who manages several current NBA stars including Dallas Mavs’ Luka Doncic, spent a week in Perth last month and attended several Wildcats practice sessions as well as the win over Adelaide at RAC Arena on January 14.

Sarr’s stocks have risen since he joined the Wildcats ahead of their pre-season trip to Las Vegas, so much so he’s rated as the No.1 2024 NBA prospect in multiple mock drafts.

But Villalobos said there were other factors why the highly-talented NBL Next Star’s Wildcats move had been vindicated.

“It has definitely been the right move,” Villalobos told Wildcats media.

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“Not because of all the draft comments and what people are thinking about what position he’ll go.

“Right now we are not focusing on that, we are focusing on Perth Wildcats in the season.

“But definitely it’s been a great move because the organisation is treating him extremely well and because the physicality of the league is helping him to develop as a player.

“We were 100 per cent that was what we had to do and Alex is enjoying it big time.”

Villalobos’ respect for the Wildcats and NBL has grown since he's got to see first-hand how the club operates on a day-to-day basis.

“I spent one week in Perth so I wanted to come and see the practices and how head coach John Rillie is running the practices to have a better feeling about how the day-to-day is in this club and in this league,” he said.

“I come from Spain so I’m used to ACB League and Euroleague so it’s different but it’s great.

“The staff are unbelievable and the facilities are great so it was great to come over and see with my eyes how everything is run over here and I have more respect about the league and the club since I got here.

"I like everything so much how things have been handled with Alex and obviously we will consider this a very high option for the next prospects that we might have in our hands."

Basketball aside, Villalobos said Sarr and his parents, who are all living together on the coast, were enjoying the Perth lifestyle.

“I think it’s been great that his parents have come with him because he needs support, being so far away from his home country,” he said.

“His parents, as far as I know, are enjoying Perth as a city, the people in Perth and also the club and the games.

“The atmosphere in the games is unbelievable and his parents are enjoying every minute they spend over here.”

Sarr and the Wildcats are back in action against Cairns at RAC Arena on Saturday in their final home game of the regular season.

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