Keith Smith: There is significant interest in Ante Zizic around the league.

[positivitize]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

He looks like Tyler Zeller. He's fast, big, with good hands, and a developing midrange.

But he just turned 20. And he plays mean/with an edge in a way TZ doesn't. It wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be a starting center one day a few years from now.

[footey]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

You're confusing him with your binkie Okafor.

[footey]

Look, the kid is a project, which is why he lasted into the twenties of the first round. Best assets are tenacity and ability to go get the ball on the boards. And his length, which is not Tyler Zeller attributes. Baseline is poor man Adams IMO.

has no outside game to date or ability to move with the ball otherwise it would show on the tape.

Encouraged by his good free throw percentage which projects that he will develop a pop jump shot over time. 3 point range? 

Who knows.

[Neurotic Guy]

I asked the question a couple of weeks ago whether Ante Zizic might now have value equivalent to a lottery pick in 2017 or 2018.  In other words, is he an asset that trade-talkers here have been over-looking when considering trading draft assets in a package for a star player.   I've seen the Memphis pick and the C's 2018 (in addition to the 2017 swap and the Nets 2018) mentioned in a number of trade ideas -- but never Zizic. 

I realize that last year's draft is considered nowhere near as deep/strong as this year's, but if Zizic were in the 2017 draft -- a draft not so heavy with bigs -- would he be a lottery pick?   If so, then the C's actually have an additional 2017 lottery-level talent to use as a possible trade asset.  I get that Zizic's value doesn't have the ever-growing value of the 2017 Nets pick, but he certainly seems like he may have more value than the Memphis pick, C's 2018, and possibly could be pretty close to the value of the 2018 Nets pick given that prospects for that draft are currently in high school and there is less certainty about where the Nets pick will land in 2018 (we all think the Nets will be top 5 again, but would GMs see that assumption as risky?).

[LarBrd33]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

You're confusing him with your binkie Okafor.

Have a really hard time believing this Zizic kid is anywhere remotely near as talented as Okafor.  If he was, I couldn't imagine he would have fallen any further than 3rd in the 2016 draft.

[LarBrd33]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

He looks like Tyler Zeller. He's fast, big, with good hands, and a developing midrange.

But he just turned 20. And he plays mean/with an edge in a way TZ doesn't. It wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be a starting center one day a few years from now.

Zeller was the impression I got as well.

[Celtics4ever]

Zeller was the impression I got as well.

I think he is harder nosed and not adverse to contact like Tyler.   He looks stronger and more athletic in terms of leaping than Zeller.  I think Zeller is a little more versatile with his hooks.   This kid has good hands but I did not see a ton of moves but he is young a raw.   Zeller has a nice midrange but I did not see that but the potential is there as the soft FT touch indicates.  I saw dunks off drop offs, not skilled moves.

He is not a shot blocker but I liked what I saw in this video where he recovers on d , nicely.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KULrKbXBKNw

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fELHemR1PSM

I do not think he is 100% NBA ready like some in this thread.   He has some nice potential though and does not shy contact.   We could use a big like that.

[bigal534]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

He looks like Tyler Zeller. He's fast, big, with good hands, and a developing midrange.

But he just turned 20. And he plays mean/with an edge in a way TZ doesn't. It wouldn't surprise me if he turned out to be a starting center one day a few years from now.

What funny is you see Tyler Zeller, and I see Marc Gasol.

So theres that.

[oldtype]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

You're confusing him with your binkie Okafor.

Have a really hard time believing this Zizic kid is anywhere remotely near as talented as Okafor.  If he was, I couldn't imagine he would have fallen any further than 3rd in the 2016 draft.

If it was known that he would be putting up the numbers he did in the Adriatic League as a 19 year old the following season, he would not have been drafted where he was. 

Player A (19): 16.6 mins, 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, .8 blocks on 56% FG
Player B (19): 30.5 mins, 18.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks on 56.6% FG
Player C (19): 29.5 mins, 20 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks on 69.5% FG

Player A is Jusuf Nurkic, Player B is Nikola Jokic, Player C is Ante Zizic; all playing in the Adriatic League in their age-19 season.  Based on the career trajectories of the other two players, we have a non-negligible amount of evidence that Zizic is going to be able to fill competent backup minutes next year, with a potentially much higher ceiling.  If he continues to put up good Euroleague numbers, we'd have even more evidence.

He has appreciated significantly as an asset since being drafted, possibly to the tune of a late lottery pick.  (We can use Nurkic as a guide here, he was drafted 16th by the Denver Nuggets after an age-19 season where he put up similar per 36 numbers in roughly half the minutes).  I wouldn't be surprised that other teams are interested in his rights, particularly those who are kicking themselves for missing out on Nurkic and Jokic in the past. 

[Big333223]

If it was known that he would be putting up the numbers he did in the Adriatic League as a 19 year old the following season, he would not have been drafted where he was. 

Player A (19): 16.6 mins, 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, .8 blocks on 56% FG
Player B (19): 30.5 mins, 18.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks on 56.6% FG
Player C (19): 29.5 mins, 20 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks on 69.5% FG

Player A is Jusuf Nurkic, Player B is Nikola Jokic, Player C is Ante Zizic; all playing in the Adriatic League in their age-19 season.  Based on the career trajectories of the other two players, we have a non-negligible amount of evidence that Zizic is going to be able to fill competent backup minutes next year, with a potentially much higher ceiling.  If he continues to put up good Euroleague numbers, we'd have even more evidence.

He has appreciated significantly as an asset since being drafted, possibly to the tune of a late lottery pick.  (We can use Nurkic as a guide here, he was drafted 16th by the Denver Nuggets after an age-19 season where he put up similar per 36 numbers in roughly half the minutes).  I wouldn't be surprised that other teams are interested in his rights, particularly those who are kicking themselves for missing out on Nurkic and Jokic in the past.

TP for providing a little context to the discussion.

It's great that he's playing well. He's another asset for the C's to either dangle in a trade of sit on for the future of the team. Nothing but good news here.

[Smitty77]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.
[/quote. 

 I am sure if he had been drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers that he would be the next great stud at center! :-)

Smitty77

[Smitty77]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

You're confusing him with your binkie Okafor.

Have a really hard time believing this Zizic kid is anywhere remotely near as talented as Okafor.  If he was, I couldn't imagine he would have fallen any further than 3rd in the 2016 draft.

 No but I would just about guarantee you that he has a higher quality of character!

[Ilikesports17]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

. 

 I am sure if he had been drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers that he would be the next great stud at center! :-)

Smitty77

Noel = #1 prospect predraft, selected 6th in 2013 draft
Embiid = #1 prospect precombine, selected 3rd in 2014 draft
Okafor = #1 prospect preseason, selected 3rd in 2015 draft
Zizic = mid-late first grade predraft, selected 23 in 2016 NBA draft

[LarBrd33]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

. 

 I am sure if he had been drafted by the Philadelphia 76ers that he would be the next great stud at center! :-)

Smitty77

Noel = #1 prospect predraft, selected 6th in 2013 draft
Embiid = #1 prospect precombine, selected 3rd in 2014 draft
Okafor = #1 prospect preseason, selected 3rd in 2015 draft
Zizic = mid-late first grade predraft, selected 23 in 2016 NBA draft

Yeah... it was a silly comment.  It's not like I'm sitting around here telling you how great Timothé Luwawu (24th pick) and Furkan Korkmaz (26th pick) will be.   

[LarBrd33]

Wait... so half the league has bonafide starter-caliber NBA centers readily available and yet I'm supposed to believe that there's "significant interest" around the league for some late 1st rounder (in what has been an exceptionally weak draft so far) who is putting up decent stats in Europe? 

Is this kid legit?  I'm seriously asking.  I don't know what to make of stats I see from players overseas and the little highlight footage I watched of him made him look like a slow-footed stiff with no mid-range game who is just using his size to rebound and dunk on smaller opponents.

You're confusing him with your binkie Okafor.

Have a really hard time believing this Zizic kid is anywhere remotely near as talented as Okafor.  If he was, I couldn't imagine he would have fallen any further than 3rd in the 2016 draft.

If it was known that he would be putting up the numbers he did in the Adriatic League as a 19 year old the following season, he would not have been drafted where he was. 

Player A (19): 16.6 mins, 11.7 points, 5.7 rebounds, .8 blocks on 56% FG
Player B (19): 30.5 mins, 18.4 points, 10.4 rebounds, 1.1 blocks on 56.6% FG
Player C (19): 29.5 mins, 20 points, 9.2 rebounds, 1.2 blocks on 69.5% FG

Player A is Jusuf Nurkic, Player B is Nikola Jokic, Player C is Ante Zizic; all playing in the Adriatic League in their age-19 season.  Based on the career trajectories of the other two players, we have a non-negligible amount of evidence that Zizic is going to be able to fill competent backup minutes next year, with a potentially much higher ceiling.  If he continues to put up good Euroleague numbers, we'd have even more evidence.

He has appreciated significantly as an asset since being drafted, possibly to the tune of a late lottery pick.  (We can use Nurkic as a guide here, he was drafted 16th by the Denver Nuggets after an age-19 season where he put up similar per 36 numbers in roughly half the minutes).  I wouldn't be surprised that other teams are interested in his rights, particularly those who are kicking themselves for missing out on Nurkic and Jokic in the past.

Thanks for the stats.  That's some encouraging stuff.  I hope the Zizic hype is warranted.   He hasn't even been on my radar until recently.  I think nothing of late 1st round picks until they make noise in the league.  Most of them never amount to anything.  This franchise doesn't have a great history of success with Euros.  Maybe Zizic will be legit.