LEXINGTON, Ky. — As did many in the Big Blue Nation, Olivier Sarr felt the will-he-or-won't-he anxiety hanging over his playing for Kentucky this coming season. Would the NCAA grant Kentucky's request for a waiving of the requirement for transfers to sit out a season? Would the Southeastern Conference do likewise?
Meanwhile, days passed. Then anxious fingers scrolled past months on online calendars.
Again, again and again Sarr looked eagerly to UK coach John Calipari for news.
"Like, every day from the time he steps in the gym, like, 'Hey, Coach, you got any news? Do you know when it's coming? You got something for me? You got good news?' " Sarr said of his version of a seemingly daily 20-questions routine.
"And he was always, like, relax," Sarr said of Calipari's response. "It's coming. It's coming. It's coming."
Of course, the good news that Calipari had spoken confidently of finally came. Sarr was in the weight room when he noticed his phone showing a request to come to Calipari's office.
"I literally ran upstairs," he recalled during a video teleconference Wednesday. "And I came in and he was smiling. I already knew. I hugged him. We hugged each other. I didn't really pick him up. But almost."
Since announcing he was transferring from Wake Forest, Sarr has been seen as the big man (7-foot, 237 pounds) who can complete Kentucky's team and make it a Final Four contender.
"Honestly, it's something that I hear about," he said of the expectations he will carry into the season. "All I can do is just focus on my work, focus on helping the team as much as I can ... . Getting the guys ready to, like, face whoever we're going to face every night. Be ready for the battle and share my experience and make the team better as a whole. And then we'll see the impact at the end of the season."
Of what he can contribute in the 2020-21 season, Sarr mentioned rebounding, "great presence inside" and "a lot of pick-and-pop shooting."
Sarr — who said he was named after his godfather and not the actor Lawrence Olivier — is from Bordeaux, France. He spoke French when asked questions in that language Wednesday. For questions in English, he had only a vague hint of an accent.
Sarr said he was better as a soccer player than basketball as a youth. He added that he was a versatile midfielder who was good enough to get an offer from a professional team.
"But Dad hid the letter from that team," he said. "And he showed it to me two or three years ago. I think he kind of knew I was going to be a little bit too tall to play midfield (in) professional soccer ... . He made the right decision even though I was a little bit upset."
In three seasons for Wake Forest, Sarr was steadily more productive. His scoring average improved from 3.2 points per game to 6.2 to 13.7. His rebound average increased from 3.0 to 5.5 to 9.0.
As a junior, Sarr was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference Third Team and was runner-up for the league's most improved player award.
Sarr cited two factors for this improvement. He came to Wake Forest as a freshman weighing 189 pounds. The added strength enabled him to become more productive in the lane.
Going from the international game to college, he also had to learn a new way of playing basketball.
"Here, it's more of can you make a difference individually as soon as you can?" he said. "You go and take your guy.
"Over there, it's really more set plays and fundamentals and a slower pace. Finding not the open shot. It's really the best shot you can take every possession."
When asked about role models, Sarr cited former UK star Anthony Davis (guard all five positions and be a "stretch five" on offense), Hakeem Olajuwon (footwork and all-around defender), Tim Duncan and LaMarcus Aldridge (great mid-range scorer; "that's something I try to put in my game").
Sarr juggled many concerns, including the coronavirus pandemic, as he decided his basketball future. He considered turning pro. Then Wake Forest coach Danny Manning convinced him to return for a senior season. Then Wake Forest fired Manning.
"Then the Kentucky opportunity came up," Sarr said. "I mean, it was something I couldn't refuse."
Then came the long wait to see if the NCAA and SEC would waive requirements to sit out a season as a transfer.
"They told me to stay positive at all times," Sarr said of the counsel he received from UK staffers. "I did it. But ... honestly, it was tough. It paid (off). Now, it's good. It's official. I'm part of the team and I'm really happy to be here."
