Impact Imports?
DARIO SARIC
F, CROATIA
A slender (6'10", 223-pound) point-forward with a diverse offensive repertoire, Saric likely would've been a lottery pick had he entered the NBA draft last June. Citing a need to gain more experience, the 19-year-old chose to stay with Cibona Zagreb for another season. Scouts would like him to add muscle and improve his offensive efficiency.
JUSUF NURKIC
C, BOSNIA
At 19, Nurkic is a project. With great size (6'11", 280 pounds), decent footwork and a knack for playing the pick-and-roll, he has a solid foundation to build on. But he is inconsistent in the post and is foul-prone. "It could be years with him," says an NBA executive. "But with that body, someone will take a flier."
VASILIJE MICIC
PG, SERBIA
The 19-year-old Micic is a crafty playmaker who has had a long tenure on Serbia's national team. At 6'4", he fits the NBA's big-point-guard mold, with a perimeter game that extends beyond the three-point line. Still, scouts have questioned his athleticism and his defense, particularly his ability to stay in front of smaller points.
ALESSANDRO GENTILE
SG/SF, ITALY
Gentile, 21, has been playing professionally for five years. At 6'6" and 200 pounds, he's a swingman who puts the ball on the floor, relishes contact and has a range of sophisticated moves around the rim. On the down side Gentile is a streaky shooter, and he doesn't have a great burst on his first step.
RASMUS LARSEN
PF, DENMARK
Injuries kept the 6'11", 210-pound Larsen off the NBA's radar last season, but what scouts have seen, they've liked. The 19-year-old can score inside and out and has the potential to be a superior interior defender. NBA executives want to see Larsen exhibit these skills night-in, night-out in the Spanish ACB league this season.
PHOTO
SAM FORENCICH/NBAE/GETTY IMAGES (SARIC)
PHOTO
JORDAMOVIC SAMIR/FIBA EUROPE (NURKIC)
PHOTO
PEDJA MILOSAVLJEVIC/SIPA (MICIC)
PHOTO
LUCA SGAMELLOTTI/EB/GETTY IMAGES (GENTILE)
PHOTO
GINTARAS SIUPARYS/FIBA EUROPE (LARSEN)