The Boston Celtics acquired Kyrie Irving Tuesday evening in a trade for Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, Ante Zizic, and Brooklyn’s 2018 first-round pick.
Who is Ante Zizic and why is he part of the Kyrie Irving trade?
He was involved in the Kyrie Irving for Isaiah Thomas trade. But who is he?
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Wait. Ante? If you aren’t sure who Ante Zizic is, you aren’t alone.
Who is Ante Zizic?
Zizic is a 7-footer who was drafted by the Celtics with the No. 23 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. He was named the 2015-16 Adriatic Basketball Association’s top prospect, where he averaged 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.
ESPN’s Fran Fraschilla was high on Zizic when the Celtics drafted him, despite the dismay of fans. “I would caution those Celtics fans,” Fraschilla said via Boston.com. “[Zizic] is one of my favorite kids in this draft. He’s 6-11, 240. He has a mean streak.”
Along with playing in ABA, Zizic later signed with Turkish club Darussafaka Dogus. The team is in Europe’s third best basketball league.
Oh, and his head coach there was David Blatt.
“I chose Darussafaka because Dave Blatt was the coach there,” Zizic said via Boston.com. “He was in the NBA, of course. He knows NBA basketball.”
He’s considered part of a “golden generation” of Croatian prospects
In his pre-draft profile on DraftExpress, Zizic is described as a major prospect in European basketball since he was 16. Specifically, he’s described as “a member of the golden generation of 1997-born Croatian prospects which includes the likes of Dragan Bender, Ivica Zubac and Nik Slavica.”
Bender was selected fourth overall by the Suns in the 2016 NBA draft, with Zubac going No. 32 overall to the Lakers. That’s pretty good company, and he’s still just 20 years old.
He can throw down
In a game for Darussafaka, Zizic stuffed one in the face of Trey Thompkins. It’s probably one reason Blatt used to call him “Baby Shaq.”
Dunks are cool, but where can I watch more of Zizic?
Right here — where you can see him playing for Darussafaka.
Who can I compare him to in the NBA?
If you’re looking for players who played at a similar level to him prior to the NBA, Nikola Pekovic, Nikola Jokic and Jusuf Nurkic all played in the Adriatic League as big men before making it to the NBA.
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