In 2014, the Philadelphia 76ers selected Croatian forward Dario Saric with the 12th overall pick. As a 20-year-old prospect, Dario decided to wait before beginning his NBA career and spent two years in the EuroLeague. With the experience he gained, Saric joined the Sixers and impressed everyone with his performance in his first year.
That year, Saric finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, just behind the winner, Malcolm Brogdon. Averaging 12.8 points and 6.3 rebounds per game, he was already one of the key players in Philly, despite being there the shortest. Still, that wasn't enough for Dario to avoid classic rookie duties off the court.
And it definitely took him some time to get used to the league's experienced centers.
During the 2016-17 season, Saric was one of the youngest players on the team. Despite gaining a lot of experience and being one of the main guys in Europe, Dario was not a "typical" rookie; some unwritten rules just have to be followed. In the Croatian's case, he had to carry a bag that wasn't exactly in the team's colors. At least not his.
" I had, I had it (rookie treatment). I carried a pink bag. I got that as a rookie. I had to wear some pink bag; Barbie was on it or something like that. That was my treatment, " said Saric.
That type of duty, no matter how much it was funny and embarrassing, wasn't the biggest worry Saric had in his first year. It was getting used to big bodies in the NBA.
As Dario mentioned on the "SwishCast" podcast, when he entered the league, small-ball wasn't as common as it is today, and some teams had really big, experienced bodies protecting their paint. One guy especially.
" For example, Memphis had Randolph and Gasol. Randolph, you can't. You fight with him; he is so big and broad-built. I can't do anything. He is stronger. He fights down low, knows how to get a foul. Frightening, really," explained Saric .
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It is one thing to see NBA players on a big screen, but it's a whole other thing to play against them. In his first year, Saric realized why those players play for so much money and why they are the best in the world at basketball.
One of the players who helped him realize that was Carmelo Anthony . Anytime he would stay in a matchup with him in the mid-post, Melo would just fake him out with just his head. And the only thing Saric could do was look and wonder.
" You would say, 'How so?'. That is just pure class," explained Dario shortly.
Despite a rough last few years in the league, Saric will be remembered as one of the best Croatian players ever to play in the States, especially when he was with the Sixers.
After spending almost 10 years in the NBA, he decided it was time to switch continents and move back to Europe. At least now, Saric is arriving as a much more experienced player who is, this time, in a position to give out rookie duties.
This story was originally published by Basketball Network on Sep 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
