Last year it was Frenchman Victor Wembanyama who burst onto the NBA scene. This time it’s Alexandre Saar, a 7-foot-1 native of Bordeaux, who has the pro scouts buzzing.

Saar turned 19 on April 26 and is the brother of Olivier Saar of the NBA Oklahoma City Thunder.

The younger Saar, who played this past season for the Perth Wildcats of the National Basketball League in Australia, figures to have his name called at or near the top of the NBA Draft on June 26 in Brooklyn.

The Draft Lottery, determining the first 14 picks, will be on May 12.

There is no clear-cut No. 1 pick like Wembanyama was a season ago (by San Antonio), but Saar is first on the mock draft boards for NBA Draft Room, Bleacher Report, and CBS Sports. He’s listed as No. 5 by Draft Express.

Before joining the Australian team, Saar played for Team Overtime and YNG Dreamerz of the Atlanta-based Overtime Elite League for prospects 16 to 20. His NBA stock has soared since announcing he was entering the draft on April 12. It’s all about his 7-foot-5 wingspan, general athleticism, and performance last September in two G-League Ignite exhibitions in Nevada. Facing a bevy of NBA-bound talent, Saar averaged 22 points, nine rebounds, and six blocked shots for Perth.

As one of the NBL’s youngest players, Saar averaged a modest 10 points and five rebounds overall this past season while playing about half the minutes. A player with Richmond connections might be drafted later in the first round. Jamir Watkins played two seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University before transferring to Florida State. The 6-foot-7 native of Trenton, N.J., averaged 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists this past season for the Seminoles and announced he was entering the draft. NBA Draft Room predicts Watkins will go 27th overall.