Ante Zizic Could Play Big Minutes For Celtics Next Season

Boston’s rebounding woes could be fixed with the arrival of 2016 first-rounder Ante Zizic.

When the Boston Celtics decided to bestow their 23rd overall pick in last June’s draft upon little-known center Ante Zizic, many Boston fans balked at the decision. General manager Danny Ainge was criticized by many for spending two first-round selections on overseas stashes in Zizic and Guerschon Yabusele while big-name collegiate performers such as Brice Johnson, Dejounte Murray, and Skal Labissiere were still on the board.

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However, barring a Summer League collapse, Zizic’s game appears NBA ready, and the 6’11” big man should have a window of opportunity next season as multiple big on the Celtics roster appear destined to depart in free agency. With the contracts of underperforming centers such as Amir Johnson and Tyler Zeller expiring while first-time free agent Kelly Olynyk appears to be in line to receive $10-$12 million per season from another club, Zizic could have the chance to step in head coach Brad Stevens’ rotation from the outset of the season.

The Croatia native impressed the competition in Euroleague this past season, finishing second in Euroleague Rising Star voting while averaging nine points and 6.7 rebounds per game in 20 appearances with Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul. His rebounding average was good for sixth in Euroleague, and per 36 minutes, this figure rose to an average of 11.0 rebounds. He also wreaked havoc on both sides of the glass, posting 5.1 offensive rebounds per 36 minutes to accompany his average of 5.9 defensive rebounds per 36 minutes.

Zizic could serve as a significant boon to a notoriously ineffective Celtics rebounding core in 2016-17. Boston finished 22nd in the NBA in offensive rebounds per game (9.1) while ranking a disappointing 26th in defensive rebounds per night (32.1). Adding an aggressive rebounder such as Zizic could work wonders for a team that was limited by the apathetic rebounding approaches of Johnson, Zeller, and Olynyk this past season.

Zizic also features an expanded offensive repertoire as well. Although he will need to expand his shooting range if he wishes to command significant playing time in a Stevens offense fueled by outside shooting, Zizic showed off a superb touch around the hoop, shooting 64.9 percent from the field in Euroleague play. He possesses a quick drop step in the paint and an ability to finish with either hand.

Additionally, he has good hands around the rim, harnessing the ability catch passes dropped towards him from a short distance while being able to finish these chances with a dunk. This is in stark contrast to the shortcomings of Zeller, who has suffered from an inability to handle sharp passes around the rim from the likes of guards Marcus Smart and Isaiah Thomas.

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His long reach makes him a considerable threat to tip in missed shots, and he is ferocious once given space to operate around the basket. It will be intriguing to see how this tenacious approach around the him translates to the NBA, where he will be pitted against larger, more physical centers.

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