I can only hope you're right about Zizic.
Having watched Zubac dominate summer league, and having read multiple reports of his teammates suggesting he'll be the next Marc Gasol I can't help but think the Celtics risked missing out on a great prospect because they felt comfortable with their draft and stash bigs - namely Zizic.
I still have no idea why they couldn't just draft the top two European Centers in a draft where they had 8 picks. It seems a massive misstep to me.
who are they? (honest question)
Zizic and Zubac.
And I say this based mostly on their DraftXpress pre-draft rankings. Zubac was ranked 16th above other notables Sabonis (ranked 18th) and Zizic (ranked 22nd).
Georgios Pappagianos was actually drafted ahead of Zizic and Zubac at 13 by Sacramento, but was ranked the 50th best prospect by draftXpress. He did nothing in Summer League to justify being taken in the first round - let alone in the lottery. In four games he averaged 20 minutes per game, 5 pts, 4.8 rbs, 0 blks, 0 stls, 2.75 turnovers and shot .357% from the field.
Thanks for the answer.
All these players (Sabonis, Zizic, Zubac, Papagiannis) are interesting projects, but IMO it is far too early to know who will turn out the best.
Zizic and Zubac got playing time in Cibona, but this team is not the powerhouse it used to be; they finished 8th this season in the Adriatic League (Zubac could not play there), and European bball fans are unlikely to have paid much attention to them.
Papagiannis got very little playing time with Panathinaikos; but then again Divac and Stojakovic have connections in Greece, maybe they know stuff that other GMs do not.
Sabonis was less of a risk bcs he played college bball, but iirc he was seen as a mediocre prospect until a month or so before the draft.
The point I am trying to make is that we prolly won't know who is best until some years have passed; and after all it is possible they will all disappoint expectations.
