Zizic learning his trade
Ex-Celtic adjusts to new squad after blockbuster
CLEVELAND — Ante Zizic admits it’s more than a little strange. Though he’s just a young, developing, bit player for the Cavaliers in these Eastern Conference finals, it’s odd for him to look down the sideline and onto the floor and see so many familiar faces.
Drafted by the Celtics in the 2016 first round as a 19-year-old, Zizic stayed a year overseas but was preparing to be with Boston when, on Aug. 30, he was part of the package sent here to bring back Kyrie Irving.
As he prepared for Game 4, Zizic smiled as he spoke of the Celts.
“Brad (Stevens) is a great guy and a great coach,” he said. “I met him before summer league. Then I played with (Jayson) Tatum, (Jaylen) Brown, Abdel Nader. In Boston, I met Terry (Rozier) and Marcus Smart. So I know a lot of the guys and the coaching staff.
“It’s kind of weird. I spent with them like maybe two or three weeks max, but I feel like I was with them a year or two.”
Zizic is officially listed at 6-foot11, but he seems bigger. And the Celtics were looking at him as a big part of their future. He would, however, need time to fill out and, as they say, grow into his body.
The product of Split, Croatia — the same hometown as former Celt Dino Radja — showed some nice flashes in summer league, averaging 8.0 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.7 blocks in 22 minutes over three games in Utah, and 9.3 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.0 blocks in 18.3 minutes over four games in Las Vegas. He has some issues with the flow of the game on occasion, but it was clear to see why the Celtics thought he was more than worth the 23rd overall pick.
Then he was gone.
“I knew the NBA was about business,” Zizic said. “You never know when you’re going to be traded. But I was preparing for a year mentally to be in Boston, then a couple of days before I was going to Boston, they traded me.
“It was really was a shock, like, what? When? How? I’d never been in the NBA. Why is somebody going to trade me right away? But, like I say, it’s all about business. Boston is a great organization. They sent me here, and I’m really happy here. I’m playing with one of the best players in the world ever.”
And it’s hard to argue when you’re part of a deal for an All-Star.
“Yeah, sure,” Zizic said. “Kyrie Irving is a superstar. There’s things you cannot control.”
And at least he’d be in the NBA with the Cavs after spending the 2016-17 season in Croatia and Turkey.
“I was 19 when the Celtics drafted me, so they said, like, ‘Look, we have a full roster. We want to stash you.’ I say, ‘All right.’ I know I can improve my game,” Zizic said. “I was preparing, but I changed teams, so for me it was a tough season. I was really dominating the league back home, so I tried to do one step up just for myself to better prepare for the NBA. When I got the offer from Darussafaka and coach (David) Blatt, I say, you know, that’s the real deal. That’s going to help me. So I was six months there and I really enjoyed it.”
Zizic got into 20 games for the Turkish club, and while some wondered how he’d fare as moved up a level, he averaged 9.0 points and 6.7 rebounds in 21.9 minutes. And all the while the Celtics were keeping a close watch.
“Austin (Ainge) came to visit me a couple of times in Europe, and also the Celtics’ European scout (Benas Matkevicius) was all the time around,” Zizic said. “So I was all the time in touch with them, talking with them. They watched my games and we talked a lot. I feel like I’m part of the organization — especially when I arrived in Boston before summer league.”
Now he’s a Cavalier, and, while he averaged 6.7 minutes over 32 games in the regular season, he’s in even more of a mop-up situation in the playoffs. But there is every reason to believe his time is coming.
“I improved a lot this year,” Zizic said. “Especially I got some experience in the G-League and that’s helped me a lot (16.3 points, 9.4 rebounds in 25.4 minutes over 18 games). And I got some short run here when some guys were out. So I think I’m ready basketball-wise. I’ve got the summer to prepare my body and mind for next season, so next season I think will be good for me.”