After playing for several NBA organizations, Dario Saric is returning to European basketball with a clear idea of how Anadolu Efes coach Pablo Laso intends to use him.
Rather than locking Saric into one position, Laso plans to utilize the Croatian at both power forward and center while giving him considerable freedom.
“He told me he sees me playing at the four and five, with a lot of minutes. Obviously, Pablo is a guy who gives a lot of freedom to his players. So, I’m expecting to find my role to be the best I can,” he said.
Saric has a preference for power forward over longer stretches, but he sees advantages in moving to center depending on the matchup.
“I like playing the four more, but I like playing the five if I have slower guys to attack,” he added. “I don’t really care. I know when you play the five, you need to fight more. You are more involved in pick-and-roll coverages. But I like playing the four to spread the floor, attack guys on the low post, or attack from outside. In shorter stints during the game, I like to play the five to attack slower guys. Over longer stretches, I like playing the four.”
Even with extensive international experience, Saric expects an adjustment period.
The EuroLeague he left a decade ago had a lighter schedule, while his new season will require him to balance a demanding European calendar with domestic competition.
“In the preseason, I had a couple of games, and I think I looked solid, very good in some games,” he mentioned. “Of course, it’s gonna take some time to really adjust to the schedule. When I was here, the EuroLeague had fewer games. Now you play every 5-6 days, plus the Turkish league, which is very competitive. So it’s gonna take some time. I will try not to put pressure on myself, but I know I can provide good things on the court.”
