Boston Celtics: 5 Potential Draft Options With No. 16 Pick
5. C Ante Zizic, 6’11” 235 lbs., Croatia
With this potential pick, I concede two very important points. First, it is a perceived stretch that Danny Ainge would choose a draft-and-stash foreign prospect as high as No. 16. Second, there is no telling when Ante Zizic will even be ready to make the leap to the NBA.
To this point, it is perceived that Zizic is lukewarm on the idea of making the jump this year to the pros, and maybe even next year. While he is still refining his game overseas in Europe, one thing is for certain: he can flat out rebound.
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This, of course, has been an issue for the Celtics for quite some time, especially when the playoffs roll around. Additionally, the 6’11” product has shown a controlled aggression in the paint, excellent footwork, and flashes of excellent low post offense.
While there are plenty of positives out of the 19-year-old Croatian prospect, there were times on film where he had some questionable turnovers, and also passed out of some open midrange shots. There is no doubt that his perimeter game needs work, and until he shakes the “scared to shoot” mentality, he should continue to develop his game overseas.
With all this being said, Zizic is an intriguing option for the Celtics nonetheless, and certainly would not be the worst long-term answer down low when he is ready to come play in the NBA.
Next: No. 4: The Young Spartan