Ante Žižić

{{Infobox basketball biography

| name = Ante Žižić

| image = Ante Žižić - Cleveland Cavaliers vs. Brooklyn Nets (cropped).jpg

| image_size =

| caption = Žižić with the Cavaliers in 2019

| position = Center

| height_m = 2.10

| weight_kg = 121

| league = LBA
EuroLeague

| team = Virtus Bologna

| number = 41

| nationality = Croatian

| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|df=yes|1997|1|4}}

| birth_place = Split, Croatia

| draft_year = 2016

| draft_round = 1

| draft_pick = 23

| draft_team = Boston Celtics

| career_start = 2013

| years1 = 2013–2014

| team1 = Kaštela

| years2 = 2014–2016

| team2 = Cibona

| years3 = 2014

| team3 = → Gorica

| years4 = 2016–2017

| team4 = Darüşşafaka

| years5 = {{nbay|2017|start}}–{{nbay|2019|end}}

| team5 = Cleveland Cavaliers

| years6 = 2017–2018

| team6 = → Canton Charge

| years7 = 2020–2022

| team7 = Maccabi Tel Aviv

| years8 = 2022–2023

| team8 = Anadolu Efes

| years9 = 2023–present

| team9 = Virtus Bologna

| highlights = * Turkish League champion (2023)

Israeli League winner 2021
Israeli Cup winner (2021)
Israeli League Cup winner (2021)
Turkish Super Cup winner (2022)
FIBA Europe Cup Starting Five (2016)
ABA League Top Prospect (2016)
Turkish Super Cup MVP (2022)

| medal_templates = {{MedalSport | Men's basketball}}

{{MedalCountry|{{bk|CRO}}}}

}}

Ante Toni Žižić ({{IPA|hr|antɛ ʐǐːʐitɕ}}; born 4 January 1997) is a Croatian professional basketball player for Virtus Bologna of the Lega Basket Serie A (LBA) and the EuroLeague.{{Cite web |title=Anadolu Efes Spor Kulübü |url=https://m.anadoluefessk.org/haber/ante-zizic-anadolu-efes-te |access-date=2022-06-22 |website=m.anadoluefessk.org}} He was selected 23rd overall by the Boston Celtics in the 2016 NBA draft.

Professional career

=Kaštela (2013–2014)=

Žižić's first team was KK Split, in the 2013–14 season, but he played for their junior team, in which he only played in 3 games. He then moved to the Cedevita Zagreb's junior team, and with them he played in 5 games.

=Gorica (2014)=

To start the 2014–15 season, Žižić played for Gorica.

=Cibona (2014–2016)=

Žižiće moved to Cibona Zagreb for the rest of the season. In that year, he averaged 7.4 points, 0.3 assists, 0.3 steals, and 0.9 blocks, in 15.5 minutes per game, in 25 games played in the Adriatic League. His breakout season was in the 2015–16 season.

He was named the 2015–16 ABA League season's top prospect. In that season, he averaged 12.7 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in 24.8 minutes per game, in 26 games played in the Adriatic League.{{cite web|url=http://www.aba-liga.com/news/tabid/86/id/36359/201516-top-prospect-ante-ii.aspx |title=2015/16 Top Prospect: Ante Žižić |work=ABA-Liga.com |date=9 March 2016 |access-date=9 March 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160309215453/http://aba-liga.com/news/tabid/86/id/36359/201516-top-prospect-ante-ii.aspx |archive-date=9 March 2016 }} He was also named to the European-wide 3rd-tier-level FIBA Europe Cup's Starting Five Team of the 2015–16 season.

On 11 October 2016, Žižić was named the MVP of the fourth week of the 2016–17 ABA League season. He scored 37 points and grabbed 20 rebounds in Cibona's 89–85 win over MZT Skopje Aerodrom, in a game that was decided after double overtime.{{cite web|url=http://www.aba-liga.com/news.php?id=37058|title=Round 4 MVP: Ante Žižić (Cibona)|work=ABA-Liga.com|date=11 October 2016|access-date=11 October 2016}}

=Darüşşafaka (2016–2017)=

On 27 December 2016, Žižić left Cibona, and signed with the Turkish team Darüşşafaka Doğuş, of the Turkish Super League.{{cite news |date=27 December 2016 |title=Darussafaka Dogus signs Ante Zizic |work=Sportando.com |url=http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/turkey/221472/darussafaka-dogus-signs-ante-zizic.html |url-status=dead |access-date=27 December 2016 |archive-date=28 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161228033113/http://www.sportando.com/en/europe/turkey/221472/darussafaka-dogus-signs-ante-zizic.html }}

With Darüşşafaka, Žižić made his debut in the European top-tier level, the EuroLeague, on 30 December 2016, in an 81–77 road loss against FC Barcelona. In his first EuroLeague game, Žižić had 4 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks.[http://www.euroleague.net/main/results/showgame?gamecode=118&seasoncode=E2016#!boxscore FC BARCELONA LASSA 81 DARUSSAFAKA DOGUS ISTANBUL 77 DECEMBER 30, 2016.]

=Cleveland Cavaliers (2017–2020)=

Žižić was selected with the 23rd overall pick in the 2016 NBA draft, by the Boston Celtics.{{cite news |last=Hutchinson |first=Kara |date=24 June 2016 |title=Boston Celtics 2016 Draft Results |work=NBA.com |url=https://www.nba.com/celtics/news/pressrelease/boston-celtics-2016-draft-results |access-date=28 July 2016}}

On 1 July 2017, Žižić signed with the Boston Celtics.{{cite news|title=Celtics Sign Jayson Tatum, Ante Zizic|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/pressrelease/celtics-sign-jayson-tatum-ante-zizic|access-date=1 July 2017|work=NBA.com|date=1 July 2017}} Before even suiting up for a single regular-season game for the Celtics, Žižić was traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers alongside Isaiah Thomas, Jae Crowder, and the Brooklyn Nets' unprotected 2018 first-round pick for Kyrie Irving on 22 August 2017.{{cite web|url=http://www.nba.com/celtics/news/pressrelease/celtics-acquire-four-time-all-star-kyrie-irving|title=Celtics Acquire Four-Time All-Star Kyrie Irving|work=NBA.com|date=22 August 2017|access-date=22 August 2017}} However, eight days after the trade was first confirmed, the Celtics would also add a 2020 second-round pick from the Miami Heat in order to fully complete the deal to satisfy Cleveland's worries involving Thomas's hip injury.{{Cite web |last=Ellentuck |first=Matt |date=30 August 2017 |title=Kyrie Irving trade finalized with Celtics adding 2020 2nd-round pick |url=https://www.sbnation.com/nba/2017/8/30/16224168/kyrie-irving-trade-to-celtics-finalized-with-boston-adding-2020-second-round-pick |access-date=8 August 2023 |website=sbnation.com}}

Žižić spent time with the Canton Charge during his rookie season. On 11 March, he scored 15 points and recorded 7 rebounds (both career highs) in a loss to Los Angeles Lakers. In the last game of the regular season, he scored 20 points and recorded 7 rebounds. The Cavaliers made it to the 2018 NBA Finals, but lost the series 4–0 to the Golden State Warriors.

=Maccabi Tel Aviv (2020–2022)=

On 25 August 2020, Žižić signed a two-year deal with Israeli team Maccabi Tel Aviv.{{cite news |last=Maggi |first=Alessandro |date=25 August 2020 |title=Ante Zizic is officially a newcomer of Maccabi Tel Aviv |website=Sportando |url=https://sportando.basketball/en/ante-zizic-is-officially-a-newcomer-of-maccabi-tel-aviv/ |access-date=25 August 2020}} In 2020–21, he led the league with a .699 field goal percentage, and was 10th in the Euroleague with 0.8 blocks per game.{{Cite web|url=https://www.basketball-reference.com/international/israel-super-league/2021.html|title = Israeli Super League - 2020-21 Standings and Stats}}{{Cite web|url=https://basketball.realgm.com/international/league/1/Euroleague/stats/2021/Averages/Qualified/All/blocks/All/desc|title = Euroleague Stats - RealGM}}

On 9 May 2022, during a game against Hapoel Haifa, Žižić lost consciousness after hitting his head on the ground. He was rushed to a hospital and regained consciousness later that night.{{Cite web |last=Askounis |first=Johnny |date=9 May 2022 |title=Ante Zizic rushed to the hospital after a head injury |url=https://www.eurohoops.net/en/others/1343636/ante-zizic-suffers-scary-head-injury/ |access-date=12 May 2022 |website=Eurohoops}}{{Cite web |last=Gaydos |first=Ryan |date=10 May 2022 |title=Ex-NBA first-round pick suffers head injury after scary fall in Israeli basketball game, sends fans message |url=https://www.foxnews.com/sports/nba-first-round-pick-head-injury-fall-israeli-basketball-game |access-date=12 May 2022 |website=Fox News}}

On 21 June 2022, Žižić officially parted ways with the Israeli club after two seasons.{{Cite news|url=https://sportando.basketball/en/ante-zizic-officially-leaves-maccabi-tel-aviv/|title=Ante Zizic officially leaves Maccabi Tel Aviv|date=21 June 2022|website=|newspaper=Sportando|language=En|access-date=21 June 2022|last=Maggi |first=Alessandro }}

=Anadolu Efes (2022–2023)=

On 22 June 2022, Žižić signed a three-year (2+1) contract with Turkish club Anadolu Efes, the reigning back-to-back EuroLeague champions.{{Cite web|url=https://anadoluefessk.org/haber/ante-zizic-anadolu-efes-te|title=Ante Zizic Anadolu Efes'te|last=|first=|date=June 22, 2022|website=|publisher=Anadolu Efes|language=tr|access-date=July 1, 2022}}

=Virtus Bologna (2023–present)=

On 31 December 2023, Žižić signed a two-year contract with Italian powerhouse Virtus Bologna.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-31 |title=Ante Žižić is a new player of Virtus Segafredo Bologna!

|url=https://www.virtus.it/en/news/ante-zizic-is-a-new-player-of-virtus-segafredo-bologna/ |language=en-US}}

National team career

Žižić played with the junior national teams of Croatia. With Croatia's junior national teams, he played at the 2013 FIBA Europe Under-16 Championship, the 2014 FIBA Europe Under-18 Championship, where he won a bronze medal, and at the 2015 FIBA Under-19 World Championship, where he won a silver medal.

Personal life

File:Ante Zizic.jpg

Žižić's older brother, Andrija, is a former professional basketball player. The two brothers were teammates at Cibona Zagreb during the 2015–16 season.{{cite web|url=http://slobodnadalmacija.hr/Ko%C5%A1arka/tabid/85/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/209769/Default.aspx|title=Brother vs. Brother, Andrija vs. Ante|language=hr|date=10 May 2013|publisher=Slobodna Dalmacija}} His older brother played in 107 EuroLeague games with Cibona Zagreb, FC Barcelona, Olympiacos and Panathinaikos, and he also won a EuroLeague championship with Maccabi Tel Aviv.

Career statistics

=NBA=

==Regular season==

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2017}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland

| 32 || 2 || 6.7 || .731 || – || .724 || 1.9 || .2 || .1 || .4 || 3.7

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2018}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland

| 59 || 25 || 18.3 || .553 || – || .705 || 5.4 || .9 || .2 || .4 || 7.8

| style="text-align:left;"| {{nbay|2019}}

| style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland

| 22 || 0 || 10.0 || .569 || – || .737 || 3.0 || .3 || .3 || .2 || 4.4

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 113 || 27 || 13.4 || .581 || – || .711 || 3.9 || .6 || .2 || .4 || 6.0

==Playoffs==

| style="text-align:left;"| 2018

| style="text-align:left;"| Cleveland

| 8 || 0 || 2.9 || .500 || - || .500 || .8 || .1 || .0 || .1 || 1.6

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan="2"| Career

| 8 || 0 || 2.9 || .500 || - || .500 || .8 || .1 || .0 || .1 || 1.6

=EuroLeague=

| style="text-align:left;"| 2016–17

| style="text-align:left;"| Darüşşafaka

| 20 || 17 || 21.9 || .649 || {{sort|-|—}} || .643 || 6.7 || .4 || .2 || .8 || 9.0 || 13.3

| style="text-align:left;"| 2020–21

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| Maccabi

| 34 || 30 || 19.9 || .589 || {{sort|-|—}} || .771 || 5.4 || .7 || .4 || .8 || 9.1 || 11.4

| style="text-align:left;"| 2021–22

| 31 || 28 || 21.1 || .667 || {{sort|-|—}} || .730 || 5.0 || .6 || .5 || .8 || 12.2 || 15.5

| style="text-align:left;"| 2022–23

| style="text-align:left;"| Anadolu Efes

| 31 || 13 || 15.7 || .703 || {{sort|-|—}} || .655 || 3.7 || .7 || .4 || .3 || 7.7 || 10.0

| style="text-align:left;" rowspan="2"| 2023–24

| style="text-align:left;"| Anadolu Efes

| 13 || 7 || 15.8 || .714 || {{sort|-|—}} || .700 || 2.8 || .7 || .5 || .2 || 6.5 || 9.0

| style="text-align:left;"| Bologna

| 17 || 3 || 13.0 || .574 || {{sort|-|—}} || .400 || 2.6 || .5 || .1 || .6 || 3.5 || 4.5

|- class="sortbottom"

| style="text-align:center;" colspan=2| Career

| 146 || 98 || 18.4 || .646 || {{sort|-|—}} || .686 || 4.6 || .6 || .4 || .6 || 8.6 || 11.2

References

External links

{{basketballstats|nba=ante_zizic|bbr=z/zizican01}}
[http://www.aba-liga.com/player.php?id=2378 Ante Žižić] at aba-liga.com
[http://www.euroleague.net/competition/players/showplayer?pcode=004554#!careerstats Ante Žižić] at euroleague.net
{{FIBA profile|108440|Ante Toni Zizic}}
[http://www.fibaeurope.com/fibaeuropecup/compID_BYg5Rb55Jw-G5I3MZ6JB01.season_2016.roundID_11866.teamID_1444.playerID_108440.html Ante Žižić] at FIBA Europe
[http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Ante-Zizic-68722/ Ante Žižić] at draftexpress.com
{{Eurobasket.com player|250827}}
[https://www.tblstat.net/player/2834 Ante Žižić] at tblstat.net