Duke lands top international prospect Dame Sarr, who flashed in front of NBA scouts at Nike Hoop Summit

The top international basketball prospect in the world is heading to Duke. Dame Sarr, who excelled in front of NBA scouts at the Nike Hoop Summit in April, will attend Duke next season in hopes of eventually reaching the NBA, he told ESPN.
Sarr, 18, called Duke his dream school, and said there was no better place for him to prepare for the NBA, per ESPN.
"My ultimate goal is to play in the NBA," Sarr said. "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."
Sarr started his professional career at age 16 in the Spanish ACB league in 2023. He played for Barcelona, where he became the second-youngest player to debut for the club. Sarr, who is from Italy, also played for the Italian senior national team last year.
In April, Sarr attended the Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Oregon. Sarr, who is listed as a 6-foot-8 wing, started for Team World. He turned in a strong performance against star high-school players from the United States, dropping 17 points, 4 rebounds and a steal in the 124-114 loss to Team USA.
The decision to play in the event caused controversy, as Sarr reportedly attended the event without Barcelona's approval. The team reportedly was on board with Sarr attending the event early in the season, but changed course after he emerged as an important player on the roster.
Sarr told ESPN he didn't think it was right to pull out of the event, and attended the Nike Hoop Summit anyway. A few days after the event, Barcelona and Sarr released a joint statement announcing Sarr would not play for the club the rest of the season.
Sarr said it was an amicable decision, telling ESPN, "We ended everything on great terms, and I still love Barcelona."

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

NBC Sports

26 minutes ago

• NBC Sports

Kevin Durant reportedly traded to Houston, Phoenix gets Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, No. 10 pick, more

On the day of Game 7 of the 2025 NBA Finals, the Houston Rockets have thrust themselves into the center of the 2026 title discussion. The Phoenix Suns are trading Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets for a package of Jalen Green, Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the 2025 draft (which is the Suns getting back their own pick), and five future second-round picks, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN. Houston was one of Durant's preferred landing spots and he is expected to sign a two-year, $100+ million extension with them when eligible. The risk with that is Durant turns 37 before the start of next season and comes with an injury history. For the Rockets, that is a risk worth taking — Durant is the guy they need. While Houston won 52 games this season and was the No. 2 seed in the West thanks to an impressive, athletic young core led by coach Ime Udoka, its loss in the first round to Golden State highlighted the lack of a finisher in the half court. The Rockets needed a go-to scorer who could go get a bucket in the clutch. They now have one of the greatest bucket-getters in NBA history, a guy who averaged 26.6 points a game last season while shooting 43% from beyond the arc, not just a four-time league scoring champion but also a two-time Finals MVP who knows how to perform on the biggest of stages and continues to do so. The Rockets now have Durant starting alongside veteran Fred VanVleet at the point (likely to extend or re-sign with the team this summer), Amen Thompson on the wing, Jabari Smith Jr. and Alperen Sengun at center. The Rockets also still have Tari Eason, Cam Whitmore, Reed Shepard and others off the bench — plus a lot of future picks, meaning they may not be done trading. The Rockets and Suns had been negotiating since their seasons ended, but the sides had been far apart on terms for a Durant trade, with the Rockets trying to center the trade around Jabari Parker Jr., while the Suns were hoping for core Rockets players such as Amen Thompson or Alperen Sengun. The sides ultimately made the trade about Green — the explosive but inefficient scorer who averaged 21 points per game last season, but with a .544 true shooting percentage that was below the league average. Green, 24 and entering his fifth NBA season, has plenty of possibilities for improvement. For Phoenix, this was about as well as they were going to do in this trade market. They acquire a scorer who can play alongside Devin Booker and Bradley Beal in Green. More importantly, a team that lacked defense and grit has just gained a lot of both with Brooks. Then there is the No. 10 pick, which can go a number of different directions (or be traded again). The most stunning part of this trade: That it happened the day of Game 7 of the NBA Finals, taking the spotlight off the court and putting it on the NBA's transaction cycle. That is not going to sit well in the league office.

Washington Post

27 minutes ago

• Washington Post

Suns agree to trade Kevin Durant to Rockets for players and picks

The Phoenix Suns have agreed to trade 15-time all-star forward Kevin Durant to the Houston Rockets in exchange for guard Jalen Green, forward Dillon Brooks, a 2025 first-round pick and five second-round picks, multiple people with knowledge of the situation confirmed Sunday. The trade agreement cannot be officially completed until the NBA's calendar resets in July. ESPN first reported the deal's terms. Durant, 36, will bring his proven scoring ability and championship experience to a young Rockets team that finished second in the Western Conference last season before losing in the first round of the playoffs to the Golden State Warriors. Houston was able to add the four-time scoring champion without surrendering all-star center Alperen Sengun or promising recent lottery picks such as Amen Thompson and Jabari Smith Jr. Rockets Coach Ime Udoka previously coached Durant as an assistant with the Brooklyn Nets in 2020-21 and for the U.S. men's basketball team at the 2020 Olympics. Durant's disappointing two-plus seasons with the Suns began with a February 2023 blockbuster trade from Brooklyn. Although Durant touted Phoenix's championship potential shortly after his arrival in the desert, the Suns were eliminated by the Denver Nuggets in the second round of the 2023 playoffs, suffered a first-round sweep against the Minnesota Timberwolves in the 2024 playoffs and missed the postseason this year by finishing 11th in the Western Conference with a 36-46 record. Multiple missteps by Suns owner Mat Ishbia, who agreed to purchase the team in December 2022, preceded Durant's long-anticipated departure. Phoenix attempted to construct a 'Big Three' by acquiring Bradley Beal from the Washington Wizards in June 2023, but Durant, Devin Booker and Beal struggled to build chemistry because of repeated injury issues and never meshed particularly well on the court. As the Suns slipped in the standings following a franchise-record 64-win season in 2021-22, Ishbia fired well-regarded coaches Monty Williams, Frank Vogel and Mike Budenholzer in quick succession. Despite those changes, Phoenix continually struggled to defend at a high level and fell short of its potential on offense despite its well-known stars. While Phoenix attempted to trade for disgruntled star Jimmy Butler before this year's trade deadline, its efforts were hamstrung by the no-trade clause in Beal's contract. Durant remained an ultraefficient scorer throughout his Phoenix tenure, averaging 26.6 points, six rebounds and 4.2 assists per game while shooting 52.7 percent from the field and 43.0 percent on three-pointers last season. However, Durant has become more dependent on his jump shooting since he suffered a torn Achilles' tendon as a member of the Golden State Warriors during the 2019 NBA Finals. The two-time champion has seen his Player Efficiency Rating, free throw rate and ability to score at the rim slip noticeably since that injury, and he hasn't advanced to the conference finals since leaving the Warriors for the Nets in June 2019. By trading Durant, who is owed $54.7 million next season, the Suns took a step toward greater financial flexibility after leading the NBA with a $220 million payroll. Earlier this offseason, Ishbia hired Brian Gregory as general manager and Jordan Ott as coach, signaling a new era for an organization that traded significant draft assets to acquire Durant and Beal. Phoenix still faces major roster questions, including whether it should part with Beal this summer and whether the 28-year-old Booker, a four-time all-star, should be moved in pursuit of a full-scale rebuilding effort. The Suns do not control any of their first-round picks until 2032. Green, 23, was the No. 2 pick in the 2021 draft, but the athletic scoring guard must continue to improve his consistency and efficiency as he progresses through his career. Brooks, 29, is a proven wing stopper. This is a developing story and will be updated.

Newsweek

28 minutes ago

• Newsweek

Kevin Durant Learned About Rockets Trade From Fans at Live Event

Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NBA superstar and 15-time All-Star Kevin Durant is heading to Houston. The Phoenix Suns traded the two-time champion to the Rockets in a massive deal. The Rockets traded away their young star, Jalen Green, along with Dillon Brooks, the No. 10 pick in the draft, and five second-round picks to the Suns. ESPN's Shams Charania was the first to report, but Durant heard the news from fans at a live event on Sunday. While on stage with NBA reporter Taylor Rooks, fans started screaming at Durant, delivering the news to him. Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns looks on after a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 7, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Kevin Durant #35 of the Phoenix Suns looks on after a game against the Denver Nuggets at Ball Arena on March 7, 2025 in Denver, Colorado. Photo by Tyler McFarland/Fans broke the news to Kevin Durant that he got traded during a Fanatics Fest panel This is insane 🤯 (via @LakeShowYo, @FanaticsFest) — Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) June 22, 2025 This story will be updated....