Still not draft-eligible despite competing in his second consecutive Nike Hoop Summit, Dario Saric had a strong showing in Portland, impressing scouts with the versatility he possesses for a player his size. After participating in the event last season, it was clear that the Croatian prospect had gained a comfort level with the format and level of competition level of the Hoop Summit, playing much better than he did in 2011.
Standing 6'10 with a matching wingspan, Saric spent the majority of the week at power forward, but clearly has his future on the wing, often bringing the ball up the floor for the World Select Team. Having added 10 pounds to his still wiry frame, Saric looks more physically mature than he did the last time we saw him, even if he still has plenty of room to grow. His lack of bulk limits him at times around the basket, and while he isn't terribly explosive, he shows impressive fluidity for a player his size and a unique skill level.
As was the case the last time we watched him, Saric's most impressive skills are his ball handling ability and court vision. Though the former FIBA Europe U-16 MVP's first step doesn't allow him to blow by defenders at will, his rangy strides give him to ability to attack gaps and turn the corner off the bounce. Showing terrific savvy changing speeds and great timing attacking his defender when unbalanced, Saric did a fine job all week getting into the lane and either finishing with deft touch and excellent body-control, or finding the open man with a quick pass. Tallying 5 assists and 4 turnovers in the Hoop Summit game, Saric still has room to improve his decision-making, as he forces the issue driving into traffic at times, but his ability to create offense for his teammates off the dribble is certainly impressive for a 6'10 18-year old.
Away from the basket, Saric showed decent touch from the perimeter, but remains unreliable for stretches. Shooting the ball extremely well on the first day of practice, but not as well the next, Saric has a somewhat unorthodox release that sometimes leads to the ball coming off his hand with less than ideal rotation. When Saric was knocking down shots from the midrange and perimeter, he made plays on a regular basis in practice regardless of who was defending him, but he's still working on becoming consistent with this part of his game, which is a huge key for his development.
As a rebounder, Saric did a nice job all week, using his size and excellent hands to corral the ball off the iron at a good rate. Recording 14 rebounds against the USA Junior Select Team, Saric was able to show why he's averaged a double-double on multiple occasions at the junior level. Though his strength and explosiveness hamper him at times, his uncanny ability to read the ball off the rim allows him to overcome his limitations with consistent effort and excellent anticipation.
Defensively, Saric lacks great lateral quickness to deny dribble penetration, but is able to compensate to some degree by playing off his man and using his length to stay attached to contest jump shots. He was beaten a few times off the dribble over the course of the week, and it will be interesting to see how his defense improves as his body continues to develop.
After a quiet debut in the Hoop Summit last season, Saric looked better in practice and was one of the catalysts for the World Select Team's 84-75 victory this year. Making his Euroleague debut earlier this season, Saric is an international prospect worth tracking closely as he is a potential early entrant for the NBA draft in the coming seasons.
From DraftExpress.com
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