For Sixers fans, Dario Saric was an International Man of Mystery for two full years after the team acquired the Croatian forward via a draft-day deal with the Orlando Magic back in 2014.
And as the now-22-year-old’s skills continued to develop overseas, fans back in Philly couldn’t help but watch longingly and do everything in their power to fight back against the little voice in their heads saying that he may never want to join a team that had gone 28-136 since acquiring his NBA rights.
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During the worst two-year stretch in franchise history (at least in terms of wins and losses), everyone’s attention appropriately seemed more focused on what the future held than what the present was offering. And while Ben Simmons and the Sixers quest for the No. 1-overall pick remained at the forefront, there were still plenty keeping a watchful eye on Saric, who was playing Euroleague ball in Turkey.
The problem, however, is that most of us don’t know how Saric’s game will translate to the NBA.
With college players, like Simmons, it’s easier to make the comparison, not just because we understand the college game better due to its availability, but we’ve also seen far more players make that transition than the one Saric began on Friday when he officially signed with the Sixers.
So what do we do?
We compare him to other Euro players who have been successful in the NBA and draw conclusions from that. And even if you’ve only read a few scouting reports on the newest Sixer, you likely saw one name come up over and over again.
While you’re likely familiar with what Toni Kukoc was able to do in the NBA (i.e. his three straight titles with the Bulls), how much do you really know about his European career (i.e. his three straight Euroleague titles)? And how does that era of European ball compares to the current one? And that NBA to this one?
More specifically, how much do we know about his game before he played alongside Michael Jordan?
Considerably less. And that's being generous.
In a way, Kukoc was the Jordan of Croatia basketball. He had, by far, more success than any other player from his country. In addition to numerous Euroleague honors, he was hugely successful in international competition as well. Before even playing his first NBA game, Kukoc won a pair of silver medals at the Olympics (the first coming in 1988, when Croatia was still part of Yugoslavia) as well as a gold at the 1990 FIBA World Championships, in which he was named the MVP. He also played in 846 NBA games, more than double any Croatian player ever.
Saric, on the other hand, hasn’t even played one NBA game. And that's why, while flattering, he thinks the Kukoc comparison is "stupid."
His words, not mine.
“I always say it’s stupid to compare me and Toni Kukoc because Toni Kukoc is like, the big player, like Sixth Man [of the Year] in the NBA," Saric said. "One day, I want to become that level of player. I will work for that. But only God knows if I will get there or not.”
He is, however, starting to put together a resume that could put him in Kukoc’s company when all is said and done.
When he was drafted 12th overall in 2014, no other Croatian player had ever been taken higher. In each of the last two drafts, however, that honor has changed hands: Mario Hezonja went fifth to the Magic in 2015 and Dragan Bender went fourth overall to the Suns in last month’s draft.
Recently, Saric was named MVP of the FIBA Olympic qualifying tournament after leading Croatia past Italy and earning his country a trip to Rio. And that's on top of the countless other honors he's stacked up along the way.
But in order to join the likes of Kukoc and other great Croatian basketball stars, Saric still needs to accomplish something on the game's biggest stage.
“Of course, when you talk about the players from Croatia, for me, that means a lot," Saric said. "They were on another level than now, the players who play in the NBA who played in Europe. As a player, I hope one day I will touch that level."
At 22, there's still plenty of time for that.
First, however, Saric returned to Croatia to prepare for the Olympics. Given some of the coaches he'll be working with, he also plans on using this opportunity as a way to better prepare himself for life in the NBA.
"I had a chance to work — in this preparation for the Olympic Games — with Kukoc, with [Dino] Radja, with [Stojko] Vranković. My father played with Drazen Petrovic. They are unbelievable people. They are always ready to help. Now when I come back to Croatia, I will talk with them about how they can help me to [transition] faster to the NBA. First, they are unbelievable players And on top of that, they are great people.”
If the Sixers are lucky, comparing Saric and Kukoc won't be so "stupid" much longer.
Follow Matt on Twitter: @matt_mullin