Dario Saric has proven his worth to the Philadelphia 76ers amid the absence of Joel Embiid, and his play has fans wondering if he is a unicorn like Embiid.
The term “unicorn” seems like it’s being thrown around too freely in the modern NBA. Sure, a big man with guard skills is unique, but with the way the league is evolving, won’t that become normal soon, too?
Similar to the established unicorns in the league (we’re talking about guys like Kristaps Porzingis, Joel Embiid, Karl-Anthony Towns), Dario is a bona fide big man who has a skill that bona fide big men have not possessed in years past. For Saric, it’s the fact that he passes like a Harlem Globetrotter and can run a fast break. For his Philadelphia 76ers teammate Embiid, it’s the fact that he can hit threes and drive like a gawky freight train.
The silver lining of Embiid’s most recent injury is Saric. The Croatian power forward was overshadowed in the first half of the season due to the dominance of his fellow rookie big man, but Saric is now flourishing as the focal point of the Embiid-less Sixers. Whether he’s posting up or leading a break, Saric has proven his worth in the NBA and established himself as a future cornerstone of the 76ers.
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As he has grown accustomed to the league, Saric’s confidence has increased, as shown by the fact that he more regularly asserts himself as the de facto point guard for a fast break. Over the course of the first half of the season, Saric has averaged 1.8 assists per game, but after the All-Star break, the forward has watched that statistic jump to a nightly average of 3.8.
Additionally, he has watched his averages in points and rebounds skyrocket, with points average going from 10.8 to 19.2 and his rebounds average going from 5.9 per game before the break to 7.8 after.
There are three additional main factors as to why Dario’s play has improved so drastically: Joel Embiid’s injury has freed up room for him to shine, trading Ersan Ilyasova has opened the door for more opportunities, or the arrival of his mother to cook him authentic Croatian food.
Though each of these events is important in its own right, the 76ers’ coaching staff has turned to Saric in reaction to the first two things, and he has thrived with the newfound confidence that develops from this amount of faith that the coaches are showing in him. Early in the season, when Ilyasova was stealing minutes from him and Joel Embiid was making a highlight play on what felt like every single play, Saric was not making too many passes like these.
The only other players in the NBA 6-10 or taller who pass with the swagger of Saric are noted unicorns Giannis Antetokounmpo and Nikola Jokic, and those two have been a part of the internet-breaking unicorn coalition for months already.
One mark of a unicorn is a diverse skill set, and Saric has a more diverse skill set than Jokic. The two are about even in terms of passing and outside shooting, but Saric is more mobile than Jokic, shown by the Croatian’s ability as the leader of a fast break.
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Additionally, Saric shoots 5 percent better from 3-point range than Antetokounmpo, as the Croatian shoots 32.2 percent compared to the Greek Freak’s 27.7 percent.
Saric lacks the athleticism of a traditional unicorn like Antetokounmpo or Karl-Anthony Towns, but with his ability to bang in the post on one possession and split the defense with a no-look pass on the next, Saric should qualify as a unicorn. Good point forwards are a rarity in the NBA these days, with LeBron James being the only All-Star-caliber one. If Dario Saric can keep improving at the exponential rate he has been this season, then he could join King James as the second elite point forward in the league.
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Saric and Joel Embiid each are two of the best young inside-out players in the league, which shows that the Sixers are buying into the new wave of “positionless basketball” that has come into the league with the establishment of the unicorn. Since Philly has two already, fans should get ready for some innovative basketball at the Wells Fargo Center, especially with 6-10 point guard Ben Simmons readying for his debut next season. If these three players can gel, then this could change basketball. If they can’t play together, then it could end up like the Philadelphia Eagles under Chip Kelly.