Dario Saric is considered the top international prospect in the 2013 NBA Draft, but the 6’10 forward from Croatia has given indications that he may withdraw from the draft if lottery teams do not express an interest. The 19-year-old phenom recently told Chad Ford of ESPN that if interest from NBA teams is not what he and his team “expect and wish,” then he “will definitely be [sic] withdraw before the draft.” The deadline for Saric to withdraw from the draft is June 17 at 5 p.m. ET.
2013 NBA Draft: Dario Saric may withdraw if lottery team doesn’t show interest
Croatian forward Dario Saric is one of the top international prospects in the 2013 NBA Draft, but will he keep his name in the event?
Jerry Lai-US PRESSWIRE
Saric is currently listed as the No. 12 prospect on Chad Ford’s Big Board and the No. 22 player on the Draft Express Top-100 list. It is assumed that Saric is looking for a promise from a team in the lottery. He signed a four-year contract with Croatian club Cibona Zagreb in 2012, but the contract includes an NBA-out option for each year of the deal. His buyout for this season is 1.2 million Euros, which is roughly $1.56 million in U.S. dollars.
The young forward captured the attention of international scouts when he dominated the 2012 European Championship and was named MVP of the tournament as he led Croatia to a gold medal. He is said to have the mobility and passing skills of a guard to go with a wiry 6’10 frame, and at 19 years old he’s a prospect with enough upside and potential to pique the interest of some team with a top-14 pick.
The NBA Draft Lottery on May 21 will set the official order at the top of the draft, so you can expect to hear more about Saric’s decision once teams know their draft slot.
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