2019-20 Preseason Profile: Ante Zizic
Young Big Man Looks to Find Consistent Role in Rotation
by Joe Gabriele (@CavsJoeG)
9/27/19 | Cavs.com
On Media Day, you’ll hear John Beilein questioned (perhaps repeatedly) about how he intends to use his dynamic young guards and the overall plan for the backcourt. But how will the new coaching staff’s system affect the squad’s big men?
Ante Zizic is probably curious as well.
Big Z worked out with the new staff during both Summer League sessions, so he should have a decent vision for how he’ll be used. Through the first two years of his career, his minutes have been uneven. Coach Beilein might finally be the break Zizic needs.
Aside from Tristan Thompson and Kevin Love, the next two most-tenured Cavaliers are Cedi Osman and Zizic – odd, considering that Ante is just 22 years old, four months younger than rookie Dylan Windler.
Even at 22, Zizic is somewhat of an old soul, and that makes sense. His hoops mentor is his older brother, Andrija, a former EuroLeaugue star and 17 years his elder.
The 23rd pick of the 2016 Draft – one of two remaining pieces (along with Collin Sexton) from the Kyrie Irving deal in what seems like a lifetime ago – played in 59 games last season, averaging 7.8 points on 53 percent shooting to go with 5.4 rebounds.
His sophomore season improvement wasn’t as dramatic as Cedi’s, but Zizic still doubled his scoring output (3.7 ppg – 7.8 ppg) from his freshman campaign. The boost in minutes translated to improved numbers across the board – save his shooting percentage that went from an insane .731 as a rookie to a solid .553 in 2018-19.
Even though traditional back-to-basket centers are seemingly a dying breed in today’s game, Zizic has proven to be an effective scorer and rebounder – both as a starter and off the bench. He’s not going to step out beyond the arc and pop threes, but he gives the Wine & Gold some muscle and rim protection in the paint. Offensively, he’s got nice footwork and finishes well with either hand.
Seeing him get consistent minutes in the rotation is the only true way for the Cavaliers to gauge what they have in their young Croatian center. Season three will be a big year for Big Z.
Zizic saved some of his best performances for the toughest competition last season.
Photo: Jonathan Daniel/NBAE/Getty Images
LOOKING BACK -- The native of Split, Croatia got off to a slow start last year, piling up 16 DNP-CDs before the calendar turned to 2019. But with steady minutes came steady numbers – notching double-digit scoring in eight of his next 10 games, including a 23-point showing against another former Adriatic League standout, Nikola Jokic, at the end of a tough road trip.
Zizic started every game on that junket and proceeded to get 23 of his 25 starts on the season after the New Year.
In fact, Big Z’s season was split almost by the calendar – right around his birthday on January 4. (The reason he wears 41.)
From the season opener until the end of 2018, he averaged 3.9 points and 3.4 boards on 47 percent shooting. From the start of 2019 to the end of the season, he averaged 10.4 points and 6.8 boards while shooting 58 percent from the floor.
Zizic big posted four double-doubles this year, posting double-figure scoring on 22 occasions.
BY THE NUMBERS: 16.4, 7.8, .653, .857 … scoring average, rebound average, field goal and free throw percentage for Ante Zizic over a January road trip in games where he logged more than 20 minutes.
He doubled-up with 15 points on 7-for-12 shooting, adding 10 boards against the league’s two-time Defensive Player of the Year, Rudy Gobert, in Utah and for 23 points on 9-of-12 to go with six boards the following night against Nikola Jokic in Denver.
LOOKING AHEAD -- The key to success in the NBA is consistency. It’s a long grind and every player has ups and downs, but players that limit their valleys are the ones who set themselves apart. If Zizic’s numbers can get bumped up, can he respond with comparable production?
After the previous season in which the frontcourt was beset by the injury bug, all the bigs come into Camp healthy this year. And that includes John Henson. With a group of bigs that includes Kevin Love, Tristan Thompson and Larry Nance Jr., can Big Z set himself apart and get a bigger, better opportunity?
We’ll find out after Media Day on Monday …