Cibona brings elite prospect Saric aboard

Nov 28, 2012 by Eurocupbasketball.com Print

Dario Saric - KK Zagreb CO, MVP 2011 Rome NIJT

Cibona Zagreb ended the drawn out saga over where top prospect Dario Saric will continue his career by signing him to a four-year contract on Wednesday. Saric (2.07 meters, 18 years old) has not played yet this season after his transfer from former team KK Zagreb to Gescrap Bilbao Basket of Spain was blocked over a buyout dispute. Cibona agreed to pay a buyout fee to KK Zagreb to sign the player. He averaged 2 points and 4.5 rebounds in four Turkish Airlines Euroleague games last season. Saric boosted his numbers to 14.1 points, 9.8 rebounds, 2.4 assists, 1.7 steals and 1 block in 12 Croatian League games.

"I want to thank Cibona for enduring to bring me here," Saric said at a media conference in Zagreb. "Cibona was the first one to show interest, they were persistent, and I made the final decision to sign here. The whole process was really tiresome, there were many offers, but I think that at the end of this soap opera everybody is satisfied. Cibona is a brand, and a part of me liked the club even before I signed."

Saric has been a dominant force at youth levels. This past summer he dominated the European Under-18 Championships in leading Croatia to the gold medal in Lithuania and collecting tournament MVP honors after going for 39 points and 11 rebounds in the title game against the host nation. He averaged 25.6 points, 10.1 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.6 blocks in the tournament. He was also the MVP of the 2010 U16 European Championships after leading Croatia to that title. On the international club circuit, Saric led Zagreb to win the 2011 Nike International Junior Tournament in Barcelona, Spain.

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