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Celtics Draft Pick Ante Zizic Has Monster Game Overseas

By Tarringo Basile-vaughan

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Ante Zizic greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twenty-three overall pick to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Ante Zizic greets NBA commissioner Adam Silver after being selected as the number twenty-three overall pick to the Boston Celtics in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Boston Celtics first-round draft pick Ante Zizic is tearing things up in the Adriatic League.

Okay, it was only one game.  But the Boston Celtics have to be thrilled with Ante Zizic and the way he has been playing in the Adriatic League.  Selected 23rd overall in this year’s NBA Draft, the first-round draft choice felt he was ready to play in the NBA immediately, but the Celtics wanted to him to develop a little more overseas.

Developing, he is doing.  Or maybe he is out to prove to Boston that he is ready now.  On Sunday, the big man scored 37 points, collected 20 rebounds and had three blocks to lead his team to victory in an Adriatic League game.

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Zizic did all of this in 46 minutes while shooting 14 for 19 from the field.  If he produces anywhere like that with the Celtics, then he would be a steal in the draft.  At just 19 years of age, the scary thing about Zizic’s performance is that he does have a lot of growing to do.

Overall, the big man is averaging 24.3 points and 10.3 rebounds over his first four games with KK Cibona, a team that has produced NBA big men like Nikola Jokic and Nikola Pekovic.  While it is still uncertain as to whether the 6-foot-10 big man will play for the Celtics in the 2106-17 season, he is definitely forcing their hand to make a decision with the kind of performance he put forth on Sunday.

His play so far is also backing up the praise of former Celtics forward and fellow Croatian Dino Radja.  In an interview with Celtics.com back in September, Radja said :

"“Yes, he’s a really good player. He’s young, but he’s got some good stuff. He’s a guy who never stops; he doesn’t have a second of time out. He’s always active; he’s always on the ball. He might not grab every rebound, but he’s always there. He’s running very well, he can pass, he can play with his back to the basket and shoot from close range, but he’s young, so he’s very raw. There are a lot of areas where he can improve, but he’s a good, good talent. I’m working with the national federation [in Croatia] so I’ll be involved with him a lot and I will follow him closely. But what I’ve seen so far is that he can become a really good player.”"

Next: Boston Bruins Place Several Forwards On Waivers

It looks like the Celtics have themselves a young big man to be excited about.

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