SAN FRANCISCO (USA) - Dario Saric went on one of wildest and most successful rides of his international career when he helped lead Croatia to a spot in the Rio 2016 Olympics eight years ago.
Saric, Bojan Bogdanovic, and Krunoslav Simon formed an impressive attacking triumvirate and fired the Croatians to glory at the 2016 FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Italy to clinch a spot at the Games in Brazil.
After missing out on the Tokyo Olympics, Saric, now 30, is eager to make it back to the Summer Games. He spearheaded Croatia's successful effort at last summer's FIBA Pre-Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Türkiye, averaging 15.8 points, 6.4 rebounds, 5.6 assists per game and a team-high 24.0 efficiency.
They won all five of their games to seal a place in one of this summer's four FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournaments (OQTs).
Croatia were then drawn in the OQT in Piraeus, which will be staged from July 2-7. With his NBA season having just concluded with Golden State, Saric is now turning his attention to the national team.
"I know I have the national team this summer," he said at his season-ending press conference at Golden State, "(so I will) try to stay ready and get ready for that, you know, have [OQT], you know, try to stay ready and healthy for that and go from there."
Saric made it clear, too, that he's not playing for his country this summer just to boost his prospects of being in the NBA next year.
I'M ALWAYS GOING TO PLAY FOR THE NATIONAL TEAM…UNTIL SOMEONE YOUNGER AND BETTER COMES.
"My focus is just on the national team, to have a better situation, to help Croatian basketball if I can go to the next round (Olympics)," he said. "I never really put in the same pot my club career and my national team career.
"It's two separate things for me. If I'm healthy, I'm always going to play for the national team until they need me, until someone younger and better comes. So I don't see that (playing for Croatia) kind of like me fighting for an NBA contract."
Because of their pedigree in past OQTs, no opponent in Greece will look past them. Croatia clinched a place at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 when they played at the 12-team OQT in Athens.
Winning the OQT in Turin eight years later was probably more impressive since they beat hosts Italy in the Final.
In Piraeus, Croatia will compete in Group A with Slovenia and New Zealand, while in Group B will be Greece, Dominican Republic and Egypt.
Only the countries that win the four OQTs will advance to the Men's Olympic Basketball Tournament Paris 2024. The other OQTs are in Riga, San Juan and Valencia.
FIBA