Ante Zizic is certainly coming to the NBA next season, so let’s see how he has played in the Euroleague
Ante Zizic was the 23rd overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, and was stashed overseas by the Boston Celtics due to their crowded roster.
To start the season, Zizic played on KK Cibona Zagreb with former Villanova star Scottie Reynolds. KK Cibona was the same team he’d been on since 2014. Zizic scored 20 points per game in with KK Cibona before getting signed by Darussafaka Dogus of the Euroleague.
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David Blatt, former head coach of the Cleveland Cavaliers, is now the coach of Darussafaka after getting axed by his own player LeBron James. The Euroleague is known as the second best professional basketball league in the world after the NBA, so the opportunity for Zizic to play against that level of competition as a 20 year old is pretty special.
Check out these highlights of Zizic in the Euroleague against seasoned professionals.
Since joining Blatt’s team in Isatnbul, Zizic is averaging 8.5 points, and 6.9 rebounds while shooting 60% from the field in just 22 minutes per contest. While he doesn’t have gaudy numbers like Abdel Nader has put up, the success Zizic has had against really tough competition is promising.
There was a story in the Boston Globe where David Blatt talked about Zizic’s potential with the Celtics. Blatt spoke highly of the big man:
"“I’m telling you, B.S. aside, you will not find a better kid than Ante Zizic. You will not. Anywhere. Hands down.”-David Blatt"
While Blatt only coached one season in the NBA, Celtics fans can take stock in the high praise. He has coached a lot of players, and to say this about a 20 year old player he’s had for three months speaks volumes to Zizic’s character.
Zizic fills a big need for the Celtics. He’s incredibly active on the floor, he’s a good rebounder, and he can finish through contact at the rim. The Celtics have said that their plan is to sign Zizic this summer to bring him to the NBA.
Next: Boston Celtics Stash Update: Abdel Nader
Zizic will most likely play in the summer league when he comes over to the United States. He’ll play next to Nader, Jaylen Brown, Guerschon Yabusele, and possibly the player selected with this year’s Brooklyn pick. That should be the most dominant summer squad that the NBA has ever seen, which is a tribute to Danny Ainge’s work with the roster.