ZAGREB (Croatia) - We still have the images locked in our minds. A youngster collecting the rebound and driving straight forward, then picking up his dribble just after the halfcourt line, because he saw something nobody else did back then in 2015.
Dario Saric always saw more than the other guys on the basketball court. He was 21 back then, using the FIBA EuroBasket event in Croatia as a stepping stone to reach incredible heights.
Fast forward 11 years - he's still got it.
Collect the rebound, drive straight forward, pick up the dribble just after the halfcourt line and serve up a delicious dish nobody even thought existed on the menu.
"I may be biased, but I believe I'm also realistic. Dario Saric would mean a lot for any team in Europe and the world, and he means a lot for us, too. Player-wise, basketball-wise, as a human, as a competitor, whichever way you put it," Croatia's head coach Tomica Mijatovic praised his superstar as he joined the camp earlier this week.
"There have been ups and downs since then, but playing for the Croatian national team has always been something I considered the most important and the best thing for me," Saric talked to Croatian media ahead of the game against Germany in Zagreb.
Incredibly, the matchup on Friday was his first game back in the city since throwing those no-look passes in 2015. Dario is from Sibenik, he'll insist you mention it every time, but Zagreb was the city that helped build the wunderkind he once was.
Growing up with KK Zagreb, he caught the continent's attention, and then moved to city rivals Cibona, leading them to an incredible Adriatic League championship as a 20-year-old in 2014.
Dario and Zagreb go so well together. Perfect place to re-start his career, right?
Against the defending World Cup champions Germany, in his first game back in Europe as a free agent, Saric went for 23 points, 7 rebounds and a team-high efficiency rating of 26.
Partnering up with Mario Hezonja (21 points) once more, Saric powered Croatia to a 93-88 win over Germany, giving the nation the top spot of Group E at 3-0.
Most of all, he looked ready for whatever is next in his career itinerary.
"I have not thought about my NBA days yet, it's probably something to consider when I finish my playing career, because it's hard being the smart one now," he said.
"I'm 31, I hope I can still play at a high level."
Over the course of his 10-year career overseas, he was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Phoenix Suns, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Denver Nuggets and Sacramento Kings, before being traded to the Bulls and Pistons at the most recent deadline, and finally being waived on February 9.
That book is now closed.
Playing against Germany at home, that opens up a new chapter, a sequel, if you will.
"It could've been better for sure, but it could've been worse, too. Either way, I'm happy with my career in the NBA, but right now, I'm looking forward to some other things in the future, other options which are coming soon. I'm 31, I hope I can still play at a high level, like the EuroLeague. Right now, I'm focused on the national team," Croatian team captain offered.
National Team: Senior
Year | Event | GP | PPG | RPG | APG | EFF |
2025 | World Cup Pre-Qualifiers | 4 | 15.5 | 6.5 | 5.3 | 20.3 |
2024 | Olympic Qualifying Tournament | 4 | 16.5 | 8.8 | 5.5 | 21 |
2023 | EuroBasket Pre-Qualifiers | 2 | 11 | 6.5 | 4 | 14 |
2023 | Olympic Pre-Qualifying Tournament | 5 | 15.8 | 6.4 | 5.6 | 24 |
2022 | EuroBasket | 6 | 9.2 | 7.2 | 3.2 | 11.7 |
2019 | World Cup Qualifiers | 4 | 16.8 | 8.5 | 3.8 | 17.3 |
2017 | EuroBasket | 6 | 14.8 | 6.7 | 2.5 | 14.3 |
2016 | Olympic Games | 6 | 11.8 | 6.7 | 3.2 | 12.5 |
2016 | Olympic Qualifying Tournament | 4 | 14 | 10 | 2.3 | 16.5 |
2015 | EuroBasket | 6 | 9.7 | 6.3 | 2.7 | 10.5 |
2014 | World Cup | 6 | 11.7 | 6.7 | 2.3 | 16 |
2013 | EuroBasket | 11 | 5.5 | 3.2 | 0.9 | 6.7 |
2012 | EuroBasket Qualifiers | 6 | 9.8 | 6.3 | 1.7 | 14.5 |
The national team has always been there for him, vice versa.
The list of Saric's appearances with the red-and-white jersey is endless, culminating with a fine run to the Quarter-Finals at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Saric taking the team there as the MVP of the Olympic Qualifying Tournament.
He tried repeating history in 2024, too, pulled out a triple-double against Luka Doncic and Slovenia along the way, but Greece stopped Croatia in the Final of the tournament in Piraeus.
Croatia missed the Olympics. Then missed FIBA EuroBasket 2025. But with Saric back in the lineup, they stand tall at 3-0 in the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2027 European Qualifiers, looking like they could end the drought.
The last time they made the World Cup was in 2014. Now, they've got the perfect man to restart the whole system.
FIBA