Sixers head coach Brett Brown thinks Dario Saric can play now

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown knows his squad could use all the help they could get. Having won just 17 games last season, Brown doesn't like the prospect of having to wait on 12th pick Dario Saric's arrival.

"I think he can play now! I think that in Philadelphia we are about development and about opportunity," Brown told EuroHoops. "He would look around and see a lot of fellow young players that just want a chance to play. Our whole emphasis in Philadelphia is about development and helping our players."

The 20-year-old Saric looked impressive in six games for Croatia in the FIBA World Cup. Playing mostly as a power-forward, Saric posted per-game averages of 11.7 points, 6.7 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. 

But what stood out to Brown wasn't the tantalizing mix of size and skill. Rather, it was his toughness and physicality.

"You get so impressed with his toughness, his presence. He plays the game in a physical way that is very endearing to the coaching staff, to our players who came all this way to see him. There’s a skill package tied into a presence that we think makes him very special."

Saric reportedly signed a three-year deal with Anadolu Efes of the Turkish Basketball League earlier this summer. He could potentially make the jump to the NBA in 2015.