NBA.com: Zan Tabak Bio

Zan Tabak of Croatia backed up another foreign-born center, Hakeem Olajuwon of Nigeria, when he came to the NBA in 1994-95, then moved on to the expansion Toronto Raptors in 1995-96. After 2.5 seasons in Toronto he was traded to the Boston Celtics midway through the 1997-98 campaign, and in the summer of 1998 he signed to play in _________. The 7-foot Tabak boasts an impressive roundball pedigree. His father-in-law, Rato Turdic, was a top player in Europe; his wife, Gorana, played first-division ball for Croatia; and his younger brother played professionally in Croatia. Tabak himself played six seasons with Jugoplastika in the Yugoslavian league before being drafted in the second round (51st pick overall) by the Rockets in 1991. Instead of joining the Rockets, however, he played one year for Slobodan Dalmatio in the Croatian League, averaging 16.0 points and 10.0 rebounds per contest. In 1992 Tabak played on the silver medal-winning Croatian national team at the Olympic Games in Barcelona, a team that also included Drazen Petrovic, Toni Kukoc and Dino Radja. The following season Tabak moved to the Livorno club in Italy's Lega A, where he averaged 15.0 points and 11.0 rebounds per contest. Signed by Milano for the 1993-94 season, Tabak finished among the league leaders in field goal percentage, rebounds and blocked shots. He averaged 15.5 points and 10.3 rebounds while shooting .621 from the floor. Tabak finally joined Houston for the 1994-95 season. A strong inside force with a soft shooting touch, he saw limited action during his rookie campaign due to the presence of Olajuwon. At season's end, the Rockets left him unprotected in the 1995 NBA Expansion Draft and he was picked up by the Toronto Raptors. He was the opening night center for the expansion Raptors and went on to appear in 67 games, averaging 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game and shooting .543 from the field. Injuries limited him to just 13 games in 1996-97. He split the following season between Toronto and Boston, moving to the Celtics along with Kenny Anderson and Popeye Jones in exchange for Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown, Roy Rogers and John Thomas on February 18, 1998. He played in a total of 57 games for the two teams, making 34 starts, and averaged 5.4 ppg.

1999-2000 REGULAR SEASON
Posted 10 points and 9 rebounds in a 111-92 win over at Atlanta on 4/19 Activated from the injured list on 2/29, after missing 12 weeks with a lower back strain

1997-1998 REGULAR SEASON
Scored 11 points (5-7 FG) and grabbed 9 rebounds against the Indiana Pacers on 4/12 On the injured list from 2/4 to 3/13 due to a transverse fracture of the fifth metacarpal bone in his right hand Traded by the Raptors with Kenny Anderson and Popeye Jones to the Boston Celtics for Chauncey Billups, Dee Brown, Roy Rogers and John Thomas on 2/18 Posted a career-high 23 points (10-13 FG) and 7 rebounds against the Charlotte Hornets on 1/19 Totaled 17 points and 7 rebounds against the Houston Rockets on 1/5 Recorded 12 points (6-8 FG), 7 rebounds and a career-high 6 assists against the Indiana Pacers on 12/15 Registered 11 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots in a 104-97 victory over the Philadelphia 76ers on 12/10 On the injured list from 11/26 to 12/8 due to a sprained right ankle and hyperextended left knee Posted 13 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists against the Orlando Magic on 11/8

1996-1997 REGULAR SEASON
Plantar fasciaitis in his left foot limited Tabak to just 13 games in 1996-97 and forced him to the injured list three times. He played only one game after Jan. 2 and none after Jan. 21. He averaged 6.5 points, 3.8 rebounds and 0.85 blocks in 16.8 minutes per game, starting four games at power forward and coming off the bench in nine others. He scored in double figures four times, with a season-high 16 points in a 96-93 win over Milwaukee on Dec. 19. He grabbed a season-high eight rebounds in a 100-96 victory over Dallas on Nov. 5. Tabak and Damon Stoudamire are the only players to have been in Toronto's starting lineup on opening night in each of the franchise's first two seasons.

1995-1996 REGULAR SEASON
After playing only 182 minutes as a rookie with the Rockets, Tabak logged 1,332 minutes in 67 games for the expansion Raptors and averaged 7.7 points and 4.8 rebounds in 19.9 minutes per game, shooting a solid .543 from the field. He started 18 games, including the season opener. Tabak led Toronto in scoring four times, rebounding nine times and blocks 11 times. He had three games of 20 or more points, including a career-high 26 points (including 22 in the second half) on March 27 at Philadelphia, when he shot 11-for-16 from the field. He reached double figures in rebounds six times, tying the franchise record of 16 rebounds on Feb. 25 at Dallas. His best stretch of the season was his final five games, when he averaged 16.0 points and 5.6 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game March 20-27. But after getting 26 points and 11 rebounds against Philadelphia on March 27 for his sixth double-double of the year, he suffered a strained left groin and was sidelined for the last 13 games of the season.

1994-1995 REGULAR SEASON
After honing his game in Europe for three seasons, Tabak finally came to the NBA for 1994-95. He joined the Houston Rockets, who had originally drafted him in 1991. Serving mostly as practice fodder for Hakeem Olajuwon, Tabak saw limited court time as a rookie. He played in only 37 games and averaged 2.0 points and 1.5 rebounds in less than 5 minutes per outing. He also endured two stints on the injured list: five games in March with gastroenteritis and five games in February and March with a strained back. Tabak was largely a spectator during the Rockets' run to their second straight championship. The team instead brought Charles Jones out of retirement to back up Olajuwon in the playoffs. Tabak saw 31 minutes of mop-up duty in 8 postseason games.