What is 2016 Celtics draft pick Ante Zizic up to?

What is 2016 Celtics draft pick Ante Zizic up to?

WEEI

By Sam Alberti

Ante Zizic was drafted No. 23 overall by the Celtics in the 2016 NBA draft. However, with few open roster spots and eight picks in that draft, he was asked to play overseas.

Stashed away in Europe, Zizic started this last season playing for the Croatian squad KK Cibona before making the move to Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul in Turkey, a team led by former Cavaliers coach, David Blatt.

In a recent Q&A with the Boston Globe, Blatt emphasized what a great pick Zizic was for the Celtics.

“The Celtics made a tremendous 23rd pick in the draft,” Blatt said. “This guy, at that number is in my mind just a great pick, a great pick. And I do know a little bit about the NBA, so I can tell you that with confidence.”

During his time in Europe this past year, the 6-foot-11, 254 pound center is averaging 12.6 points and 6.35 rebounds, while shooting 66.9 percent from the field. These stats have been complimented by scattered breakout performances, such as a game against MZT Skopje, where the young center dropped 37 points, 20 rebounds, and three blocks.

As a result of Zizic’s play, the new consensus among NBA scouts falls in line with Blatt’s praise.

One NBA general manager told the Sporting News’ Sean Deveney Zizic would “almost certainly be a lottery pick in this draft, maybe top 10, even though this is a deeper draft than last year. He would be better than a draft pick, really, because you can see what you’re getting.”

Following an Eastern Conference finals series where the Celtics were dominated in the paint offensively and defensively by the Cavaliers, losing the series rebounding battle 210-185, a budding center talent in Zizic will be welcomed with open arms.

While scouts and coaches alike agree he will more than likely begin his tenure with the Celtics as a role player, his potential is one of the pieces the Celtics hope will eventually push them into legitimate finals contention.

One thing that is for certain, Zizic is ready to take the next step in his career.

“I think this year I have improved my game, I improved my body and gained experience,” Zizic said in a telephone interview with the Boston Globe. “So I think right now, I am ready for the NBA.”

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The #1, and a top 10 (still 14 or less if you don't buy the top 10 claim.  Zizic, a bruising 7'er, is all alone in the top half of the draft this year).  And then there's The Dancing Bear.  I have no idea where he'd be drafted this year but I'll bet he'd go higher than the #26 or so he was projected to go last year (he was picked #16, but that was a shocker for many).   A very nice haul by Danny this year even as he built a team that was the #1 seed in the EC and made it to the EC Finals.  And cheap.  Fultz/Jackson/whomever will make $4.9M this year, Yabby will make $1.6M and Zizic will make $1.16M.  That's $7.66M for 3 players, at least one of which will be a major impact player and they will all be locked up for 4-5 years.

The only other team that I can think of who drafted a Euro in the 1st round and kept them stashed in Europe is Philly, with Dario Saric, and they didn't deliberately do that.  Saric was under contract and couldn't come here that next year.  Danny drafted two Euros with the full intent of stashing both of them even though both were available for the NBA immediately (Zizic was under contract but there was a buy out clause that the Celtics didn't pursue) and signed Amir, Jonas and Zeller to short-term contracts.

Danny Ainge, Puppet Master.


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