Dario Saric among 18 early entry players withdrawing from NBA draft

Croatia's Dario Saric (no. 12) was one of 18 early entry players to opt out of the 2013 draft. Saric was projected to be a first-round pick but will wait

Croatia's Dario Saric (no. 12) was one of 18 early entry players to opt out of the 2013 draft. Saric was projected to be a first-round pick but will wait another year to gain more experience. (Sam Forencich/Getty Images)

Croatia's Dario Saric officially withdrew from the NBA draft, along with 15 other international and two American prospects. The NBA's private PR Twitter feed first reported the news on Tuesday afternoon; SheridanHoops.com's Chris Sheridan followed-up with additional details.

Saric, a small forward, was the top international draft prospect, projected to go to the Mavericks at No. 13 in SI's latest mock draft. Saric, 19, opted to wait another year for the chance at a higher spot in the draft and a more significant role with the team.

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Additional international prospects that opted out include players from France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Bosnia, Greece, Slovenia, Serbia, Austria, Ukraine, and two others from Croatia. (The full list is here.) The American players who opted out are Norvel Pelle (Los Angeles College Preparatory Academy) and Joshua Simmons (Spartanburg Methodist).