The Hink Tank: Dario Saric

Not an accent I can get behind… 

After taking looks at two players who played basketball in the United States last season, Zach LaVine and Gary Harris, today I'll take a look at the draft's biggest mystery prospect after Dante Exum, Dario Saric. Like Exum, Saric is a lottery talent from overseas and not much is actually known about him since he has never played basketball in the States. With that being said, based on what we do know from the 6'10" power forward out of Croatia, he has the potential to be the next international superstar in the NBA if someone is willing to take the risk on him. Saric could be the second coming of Dirk Nowitzki, if Dirk could actually um… run… and pass… and handle the ball… at all.

Let's start off with a quick highlight video (ignore the musical choice) of the 20 year old...

DraftExpress.com's breakdown of Saric offensively versatility.

From watching him play you can already tell that he was born to play in transition, which if the Sixers offense continues in the same way as last year, would be perfect for the big man. One thing that stands out to me is the way he handles the ball like he's a guard, a stereotypical point-forward in the making. Only problem is that the Sixers don't really need a point-forward with MCW at the helm. Still, versatility in any way, shape or form is exactly what Hinkie craves and exactly what Saric provides, especially offensively. Based on his scouting video from Draft Express, Saric likes to spot up more than anything, which shows that he knows how to shoot the ball (or at least he thinks he does), a skill that would be especially valuable when paired with Nerlens Noel. However, after spot ups, the rest of his offensive repertoire is pretty evenly spread out and his highest points per possession come from transition and cutting to the basket so he's clearly the most efficient when playing that style.

Speaking of Saric's skills when paired with Noel, one of the reasons the Sixers could actually take a chance on the Croatian is because of Nerlens' skill set. Nerlens, as a defensive minded center, allows for there to be room in the front court for an offensive-minded player. Also, since Saric likes to space the floor so much, the lane won't be clogged up and then Nerlens can run rampant and reign over the rim with his shot blocking while also having plenty of room to develop his post up skills. All of these skills and more give Saric a pretty damn high ceiling, but based on the history of most European prospects, it's unlikely he ever reaches it.

Sure, Saric could become the next Nowitzki, but plenty of other European prospects have come into the league under the same pretense. While Saric does handle the ball like a guard and shoot pretty well for a big man, those aren't necessarily skills that instantly convert over to the NBA. He still has plenty to be desired when it comes to getting stronger and putting on weight if he is to guard anybody of size and stature in the NBA. He also can be seen running circles around players in the Adriatic League (Croatia, Yugoslavia, Serbia, Slovenia, etc.), but you can be pretty damn certain that players in the best league in the world are going to be much quicker. In order for Saric to be truly successful, he's going to have to learn to bang with the big boys and keep up with the little ones. There's no way for him to get out in transition, where he's most effective, if everyone on the court can run right by him.

Another problem involving Saric is whether or not he is personally ready to play in the NBA. There are reports out there that Saric would only be willing to make the transition next year if he gets drafted to the Lakers or Celtics. Which raises the question if he would actually ever play for the Sixers and if so, how long would it take for him to come over to the States? Is Saric worth the risk at #10 when he could just become the next European bust and/or not even come overseas for a couple years? I, for one, would be pretty disappointed if one, or both of the Sixers 1st round picks this year didn't play a single minute for the team next year (looking at you, Embiid) and I would assume the rest of the Sixers fan base would become pretty disgruntled too. Obviously, I still believe in Hinkie's plan but I think we're all getting anxious to see what this team can become, especially after all the hype there's been leading up to this draft.

At the end of the day, Saric could become a very good fit in Philadelphia and be the steal of the draft if he develops into the next Dirk. At the same time it would be a "calculated risk" drafting him, but there's no one I trust more than to make a calculated risk than Sam Hinkie. Be on the lookout for whoever drafts Dario Saric next Thursday, a very high risk, high reward type of pick.

South Street Draft Rating: 7/10

Next up: Nik Stauskas

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Previous Editions:
Zach LaVine
Gary Harris