Dario Saric is a Larry Bird impersonator.

[Tr1boy]

http://nbadraft.net/players/dario-saric

While he's credited with a great IQ and feel for many aspects of the game, Saric's shooting and defense are listed as weaknesses, as are foot speed and athleticism.

I'm concerned about his mediocre footspeed the most. But he is smart and has good anticipation skills.

Athleticism not really worried about. He is 6'10 and will be taller than most sf's

[Celtics18]

It's a good comparison. Nobody else has come close in the last 10 years. The skills, package, character, size

If his shooting is as deadly as people say now, well yeah its very close

Saric can play a complete inside outside game. Has guard skills and not shy of physical contact. Good defensive player. Smart. And lastly has proved only to be a winner

How many of his games have you watched?

several. The 2012 nike hoop summit game. He was the best player in the game.  His team Cibona play. When he first stated he didn't play alot of mins but this past season was a big part of the team.  He was everywhere on the court

He was a little more than a "big part of the team."  He was Adriatic League regular season MVP, as well as tournament Final Four MVP, leading his team to the the league title. 

[Roy H.]

It's a good comparison. Nobody else has come close in the last 10 years. The skills, package, character, size

If his shooting is as deadly as people say now, well yeah its very close

Saric can play a complete inside outside game. Has guard skills and not shy of physical contact. Good defensive player. Smart. And lastly has proved only to be a winner

How many of his games have you watched?

several. The 2012 nike hoop summit game. He was the best player in the game.  His team Cibona play. When he first stated he didn't play alot of mins but this past season was a big part of the team.  He was everywhere on the court

He was a little more than a "big part of the team."  He was Adriatic League regular season MVP, as well as tournament Final Four MVP, leading his team to the the league title.

The competition level in the Adriatic league is, what, about the equivalent of a NCAA mid-major?  It's currently ranked as the 9th best league in Europe.

When Saric played even mediocre competition in the Eurocup, he averaged less than 13 points, and his team went 1-9.

[footey]

Was Larry this good as a sophomore at Indiana?   Because Larry was a 23 yo rookie in NBA and this kid is only 20.   He looks like a guy you would hate on the other team and I like that.   He constantly trash talks Wiggins and Parker because he thinks he is better.   I kind of like that about him.

Larry played at Indiana State.

He averaged 33/13/4 as a freshman, 30/12/4 as a sophomore, and 29/15/6 as a junior.

a. I had no idea that Bird did that well as a freshman and sophomore.  Wow.
b. I thought he was a freshman at Indiana, quit, took a year off before playing for Indiana State. 
c. I think the competition that Saric is playing, at the age of 20, is considerably better than Bird faced at the same age, although impossible to compare for many reasons.  Point is, I think Saric would probably be averaging in the high 20's in that conference today, if one could project such things. 
d. Kevin O'Conner has studied Saric quite a bit, and has a considerably higher opinion than you, Roy, of Saric's current skill set, on both sides of the ball.   I know he is no Bird, but you seem to be very skeptical of Saric's prospects.  Wondering why.

[moiso]

He quit Indiana after a few days.

[Evantime34]

I again can not believe the Saric love. Because he is an international pick there is more mystery about him and people associate this with high upside. If as a fan you don't know a player very well I guess you could consider him as having more upside because relative to what you think of him  there is more variance than an American player you have watched more. The thinking on Saric reminds me of this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jw7krGpeNyA
After 12 seconds it repeats, so turn it off at that point.

But seriously I can not fathom drafting another perimeter oriented big with average/below average athleticism to play next to Sullinger and Olynyk. How are we going to ever stop anyone if 3 of the bigs in our rotation are on the slow side. To me he was good internationally because he was a match up nightmare, faster than 4's and bigger than 3's, well in the NBA the 4's are pretty quick and the 3's are pretty big and strong.

Give me Gordon whose upside is extremely high due to his work ethic athleticism and age.

[kozlodoev]

I'm sorry, but the only thing Saric looks like to me is another Kelly Olynyk -- the same slightly awkward and not very athletic game that works against inferior competition, but will be highly questionable in the NBA.

He's also not a SF.

[Roy H.]

d. Kevin O'Conner has studied Saric quite a bit, and has a considerably higher opinion than you, Roy, of Saric's current skill set, on both sides of the ball.   I know he is no Bird, but you seem to be very skeptical of Saric's prospects.  Wondering why.

Kevin's just one of many, many amateurs with an opinion. 

I think skeptical is the right word.  Every year, there are a few guys who play against inferior competition who always seem to shoot up draft boards.  What's the success rate on foreign players who haven't played in the NCAA since, say, the Darko draft?

2003 - Darko (bust), Pietrus (solid), Cabarkapa (bust), Pavlovic (disappointment), Pavlovic (bust), Barbosa (solid)

2004 - Podkolzine (bust), Khryapa (bust), Monia (bust), Vujacic (solid), Udrih (solid)

2005 - Vazquez (bust), Korolev (bust), Petro (disappointment), Mahinmi (solid)

2006 - Bargnani (disappointment), Sene (bust), Pecherov (bust), Freeland (solid)

2007 - Jianlian (bust), Bellinelli (solid), Fernandez (disappointment), Splitter (solid), Koponen (bust)

2008 - Gallinari (solid), Ajinca (disappointment), Ibaka (star), Batum (solid)

2009 - Rubio (solid), Claver (bust), Casspi (disappointment), Beaubois (bust)

2010 - Seraphin (disappointment)

2011 - Valanciunas (TBD), Vesely (bust), Biyombo (disappointment), Motiejunas (disappointment), Mirotic (TBD)

2012 - Fournier (TBD)

2013 - Adetokoubo (TBD, looks good), Nogueira (TBD), Schroeder (TBD), Karasev (TBD), Gobert (TBD), Jean-Charles (TBD), Nedovic (TBD)

In the last 11 years, that's 46 foreign players taken in the first round.  None have been all-stars, and only three have been above-average:  Ibaka, Gallinari and Batum.

So, part of my skepticism comes from the track record, and the failure of scouting.  The other part comes from Saric's game:  he appears too slow to be a SF, and too weak to be a PF.  He's not a great outside shooter, he's not particularly athletic, and he turns the ball over too much.  In the Eurocup, against mediocre competition, he was mediocre.  He shined in the Adriatic league, but that's the 9th best league in Europe, and beneath the quality of the NCAA.

Until I see him prove himself regularly against decent competition, I will continue to be a skeptic.  I think the hype is much too high.

[kozlodoev]

2003 - Darko (bust), Pietrus (solid), Cabarkapa (bust), Pavlovic (disappointment), Pavlovic (bust), Barbosa (solid)

You gotta make up your mind, Roy, which one is it going to be?

... Joking aside, you quite possibly mean Planinic for the bust category.

[Roy H.]

2003 - Darko (bust), Pietrus (solid), Cabarkapa (bust), Pavlovic (disappointment), Pavlovic (bust), Barbosa (solid)

You gotta make up your mind, Roy, which one is it going to be?

... Joking aside, you quite possibly mean Planinic for the bust category.

Yep.

The lines are blurry a bit in some cases, between bust / disappointment and disappointment / solid.

[SHAQATTACK]

 

Omg

Another hick from French Lick..


 

[CoachBo]

d. Kevin O'Conner has studied Saric quite a bit, and has a considerably higher opinion than you, Roy, of Saric's current skill set, on both sides of the ball.   I know he is no Bird, but you seem to be very skeptical of Saric's prospects.  Wondering why.

Kevin's just one of many, many amateurs with an opinion. 

I think skeptical is the right word.  Every year, there are a few guys who play against inferior competition who always seem to shoot up draft boards.  What's the success rate on foreign players who haven't played in the NCAA since, say, the Darko draft?

2003 - Darko (bust), Pietrus (solid), Cabarkapa (bust), Pavlovic (disappointment), Pavlovic (bust), Barbosa (solid)

2004 - Podkolzine (bust), Khryapa (bust), Monia (bust), Vujacic (solid), Udrih (solid)

2005 - Vazquez (bust), Korolev (bust), Petro (disappointment), Mahinmi (solid)

2006 - Bargnani (disappointment), Sene (bust), Pecherov (bust), Freeland (solid)

2007 - Jianlian (bust), Bellinelli (solid), Fernandez (disappointment), Splitter (solid), Koponen (bust)

2008 - Gallinari (solid), Ajinca (disappointment), Ibaka (star), Batum (solid)

2009 - Rubio (solid), Claver (bust), Casspi (disappointment), Beaubois (bust)

2010 - Seraphin (disappointment)

2011 - Valanciunas (TBD), Vesely (bust), Biyombo (disappointment), Motiejunas (disappointment), Mirotic (TBD)

2012 - Fournier (TBD)

2013 - Adetokoubo (TBD, looks good), Nogueira (TBD), Schroeder (TBD), Karasev (TBD), Gobert (TBD), Jean-Charles (TBD), Nedovic (TBD)

In the last 11 years, that's 46 foreign players taken in the first round.  None have been all-stars, and only two have been above-average:  Ibaka and Batum.

So, part of my skepticism comes from the track record, and the failure of scouting.  The other part comes from Saric's game:  he appears too slow to be a SF, and too weak to be a PF.  He's not a great outside shooter, he's not particularly athletic, and he turns the ball over too much.  In the Eurocup, against mediocre competition, he was mediocre.  He shined in the Adriatic league, but that's the 9th best league in Europe, and beneath the quality of the NCAA.

Until I see him prove himself regularly against decent competition, I will continue to be a skeptic.  I think the hype is much too high.

Agreed.

And I feel the same way about Exum. Definite high risk pick, IMHO.

[CoachBo]

It's a good comparison. Nobody else has come close in the last 10 years. The skills, package, character, size

If his shooting is as deadly as people say now, well yeah its very close

Saric can play a complete inside outside game. Has guard skills and not shy of physical contact. Good defensive player. Smart. And lastly has proved only to be a winner

How many of his games have you watched?

several. The 2012 nike hoop summit game. He was the best player in the game.  His team Cibona play. When he first stated he didn't play alot of mins but this past season was a big part of the team.  He was everywhere on the court

He was a little more than a "big part of the team."  He was Adriatic League regular season MVP, as well as tournament Final Four MVP, leading his team to the the league title.

The competition level in the Adriatic league is, what, about the equivalent of a NCAA mid-major?  It's currently ranked as the 9th best league in Europe.

When Saric played even mediocre competition in the Eurocup, he averaged less than 13 points, and his team went 1-9.

A mid-level mid-major, I'd say.

Having seen Saric, he would have come off the bench at Wichita State, for example. FAR too many holes in his game.

No interest in this guy at all.

[Celtics18]

d. Kevin O'Conner has studied Saric quite a bit, and has a considerably higher opinion than you, Roy, of Saric's current skill set, on both sides of the ball.   I know he is no Bird, but you seem to be very skeptical of Saric's prospects.  Wondering why.

Kevin's just one of many, many amateurs with an opinion. 

I think skeptical is the right word.  Every year, there are a few guys who play against inferior competition who always seem to shoot up draft boards.  What's the success rate on foreign players who haven't played in the NCAA since, say, the Darko draft?

2003 - Darko (bust), Pietrus (solid), Cabarkapa (bust), Pavlovic (disappointment), Pavlovic (bust), Barbosa (solid)

2004 - Podkolzine (bust), Khryapa (bust), Monia (bust), Vujacic (solid), Udrih (solid)

2005 - Vazquez (bust), Korolev (bust), Petro (disappointment), Mahinmi (solid)

2006 - Bargnani (disappointment), Sene (bust), Pecherov (bust), Freeland (solid)

2007 - Jianlian (bust), Bellinelli (solid), Fernandez (disappointment), Splitter (solid), Koponen (bust)

2008 - Gallinari (solid), Ajinca (disappointment), Ibaka (star), Batum (solid)

2009 - Rubio (solid), Claver (bust), Casspi (disappointment), Beaubois (bust)

2010 - Seraphin (disappointment)

2011 - Valanciunas (TBD), Vesely (bust), Biyombo (disappointment), Motiejunas (disappointment), Mirotic (TBD)

2012 - Fournier (TBD)

2013 - Adetokoubo (TBD, looks good), Nogueira (TBD), Schroeder (TBD), Karasev (TBD), Gobert (TBD), Jean-Charles (TBD), Nedovic (TBD)

In the last 11 years, that's 46 foreign players taken in the first round.  None have been all-stars, and only three have been above-average:  Ibaka, Gallinari and Batum.

So, part of my skepticism comes from the track record, and the failure of scouting.  The other part comes from Saric's game:  he appears too slow to be a SF, and too weak to be a PF.  He's not a great outside shooter, he's not particularly athletic, and he turns the ball over too much.  In the Eurocup, against mediocre competition, he was mediocre.  He shined in the Adriatic league, but that's the 9th best league in Europe, and beneath the quality of the NCAA.

Until I see him prove himself regularly against decent competition, I will continue to be a skeptic.  I think the hype is much too high.

Have you compared the bust rate to that of U.S. college players drafted in similar positions?

Anyway, I understand the skepticism on Saric, but I will not be talked out of my crush so easily. 

[footey]

It's a good comparison. Nobody else has come close in the last 10 years. The skills, package, character, size

If his shooting is as deadly as people say now, well yeah its very close

Saric can play a complete inside outside game. Has guard skills and not shy of physical contact. Good defensive player. Smart. And lastly has proved only to be a winner

How many of his games have you watched?

several. The 2012 nike hoop summit game. He was the best player in the game.  His team Cibona play. When he first stated he didn't play alot of mins but this past season was a big part of the team.  He was everywhere on the court

He was a little more than a "big part of the team."  He was Adriatic League regular season MVP, as well as tournament Final Four MVP, leading his team to the the league title.

The competition level in the Adriatic league is, what, about the equivalent of a NCAA mid-major?  It's currently ranked as the 9th best league in Europe.

When Saric played even mediocre competition in the Eurocup, he averaged less than 13 points, and his team went 1-9.

A mid-level mid-major, I'd say.

Having seen Saric, he would have come off the bench at Wichita State, for example. FAR too many holes in his game.

No interest in this guy at all.

Yeah, so 5 of the top ten guys in the draft are from Wichita State this year.  Sure.