Dario Saric
Season stats: 14.6 points, 6.7 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 0.7 steals, 0.3 blocks, 45.3% FG, 39.3% 3PT, 86% FT
Grade: B+
Super Dario improved immensely this season. He raised his three-point percentage by more than eight percentage points, went from posting a -2.2 BPM last season to a solid mark of 1.4 in the 2017-18 campaign. He also contributed 6.6 win shares, which matches J.J. Redick’s mark and sits only behind Ben Simmons in that category.
Dario grew into a role resembling that of Klay Thompson: both are two of the most talented players on their teams, yet their star teammates overshadow them, but they can go unconscious for 48 minutes on any given night and win the game for their team almost singlehandedly. For instance, he hung 25 points and 10 boards in a seven-point win over the Jazz without Embiid.
Furthermore, the Croatian Sensation had arguably the best playoff performances of anyone else on the team. He averaged 17.2 points, 7.3 boards, and 3.5 assists and had five 20-point outings in the team’s 10 playoff games. He did have his fair share of sub-20 percent shooting nights throughout the year.
In just his second season in the league, Saric began to announce himself as one of the top budding European stars in the NBA. If he keeps his development on track, becomes more consistent, and further improves on his outside shooting and floor-spacing ability, he will end up as one of the most coveted under-25 players in the world.