Is Zizic a better prospect than Yabusele?

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
I think next year's team will look very different.

Zizic and Yabousele will be on he team, and Zizic, at least, will play key minutes and bring some of what is lacking.

I also expect some progress on the "too many short guards" front.

That's along with the Nets pick (or whomever it is dealt for) and any possible free agent activity. Though the Celtics performance this offseason does not seem like a big help to them if they are trying to sign Heyward.
Why are people convinced Zizic will get more minutes than Yabusele? Or is even the better prospect? Is it people just discount a lot of what he did because LOL China basketball? I've been convinced since they brought Yabusele over this year to play in the D league that they have big plans for him next year. Otherwise, why bother doing it this year and not waiting until 2018? Maybe added trade value in the off season?

Edit: I think Zizic and Yabu would play pretty different roles on the team anyway. Zizic doesn't stretch the floor yet while Yabu does. Zizic also has the better defensive profile.
 

Sprowl

mikey lowell of the sandbox
Dope
SoSH Member
Jun 27, 2006
34,437
Haiku
Split from "Built for the Regular Season?"

***
I also wonder about whether Zizic deserves such great press. I only saw a few videos of Zizic, and he looked big and fairly agile, but otherwise unremarkable. Why are posters so pro-Ante?
 

nighthob

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
12,678
Because he jumped up a level in competition during the year and got better after the jump. I'm higher on Yabooty than most, but he was playing in a crap league.

I'm positive that Boston wanted Yabusele there so that he could grow his game beyond what he would do coming off the bench in the French league. I wouldn't be shocked in the least if Boston tried to steer him to Euroleague next year to continue developing. Zizic is, barring a trade, going to be the guy that makes sure that Al Horford hits the postseason rested next year.
 
Last edited:

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,457
Split from "Built for the Regular Season?"

***
I also wonder about whether Zizic deserves such great press. I only saw a few videos of Zizic, and he looked big and fairly agile, but otherwise unremarkable. Why are posters so pro-Ante?
Well a lot of people thought he was better before the draft remember, Yabu over Ante was considered a surprise (and possibly driven by assurances Yabu would stash for 1-2 years vs. none from Zizic). Then this year Zizic had a bit of a breakout, he was crushing in his league, moved up a level of competition and played VERY well for his age there. 10 and 7 from a 20 year old big man in Euroleague is really impressive.
Also he's in some ways more projectable for the NBA, he's a legit 6'11" he's 245 pounds, his strenghts are rebounding, rim running, bodying up on D.
Yabu is 6'8" (maybe) and built heavy, so there are questions where he fits. And while he played well in China.... it's China, much harder to project how that fits than Euroleague. He's also more of a stretch, but not a great defender.
 

RetractableRoof

tolerates intolerance
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2003
3,836
Quincy, MA
I personally was surprised to see Zizic move up a level, and remember reading somewhere that it meant he wasn't going to get many minutes because of the much higher caliber competition in the new league. That he held his own in a real league is obviously a good sign. What I would personally take out of it is that many (not all) Euroleague players have decent fundamentals when they arrive here. Still a lot to learn about the NBA, but the fundamentals are there to build on. *IF* that is the case (I'm looking at Porzingas enviously), then spending a year or two working on an outside shot could situate him in a pretty valuable place in Boston.

Yabusele is actually the opposite of all that for me. His body alone allowed him to do things there (with or without good fundamentals). [I know he came out of a France league so the fundamentals might be there as well.] Other names I've heard (Fredette) in China have done even more than Yabusele in the same environment. Is that because he isn't spectacular, or is it because he is young or ? Then 3rd hand reports from the D/G/dual band League seemed to be that he was lost/slow defensively on PNR switches leads me to think that maybe he has further to go before he can help in the NBA.

So for me all circumstantial at best... but Zizic might help next year, Yabusele might be watching still.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,457
Other names I've heard (Fredette) in China have done even more than Yabusele in the same environment. Is that because he isn't spectacular, or is it because he is young or ?
It's difficult to compare foreign guards to foreign bigs in China, guards score a ton there, and are more likely to end up covered by terrible domestic players, while foreign bigs usually face each other. Also Jimmer could always score, he scored everywhere, D-League, NBA etc he just can't do anything else.[/QUOTE]
 

RetractableRoof

tolerates intolerance
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2003
3,836
Quincy, MA
It's difficult to compare foreign guards to foreign bigs in China, guards score a ton there, and are more likely to end up covered by terrible domestic players, while foreign bigs usually face each other. Also Jimmer could always score, he scored everywhere, D-League, NBA etc he just can't do anything else.
[/QUOTE]
Thanks for that... I didn't/wouldn't have looked at it that way.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
Bigs are also hard to judge because any competent big is going to put up huge numbers in China or the D league. Fab Melo and Jordan Mickey say hi.
 

Imbricus

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 26, 2017
4,810
Zizic playing against stronger competition means a lot. Last night Yabusele went up against Raptors 905 in the D-League playoffs, maybe the strongest defense he's seen yet? He was 1 for 7 from the field with three rebounds.
 

Eddie Jurak

canderson-lite
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 12, 2002
44,475
Melrose, MA
Zizic playing against stronger competition means a lot. Last night Yabusele went up against Raptors 905 in the D-League playoffs, maybe the strongest defense he's seen yet? He was 1 for 7 from the field with three rebounds.
While teammate Jordan Mickey, whom we know is a grange NBA player, lights it up.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Bigs are also hard to judge because any competent big is going to put up huge numbers in China or the D league. Fab Melo and Jordan Mickey say hi.
This isn't necessarily true. We have plenty of clips showing Zizic's physical and skills improvement from last winter to this year. We know he has excellent free throw mechanics/touch and good results which bode well on him developing as a perimeter shooter.

I love both Zuzic and Zubac on draft night as they were teammates putting up comparable numbers splitting time. While Zuzic moved up in competition and thrived we saw Zubac move up to the NBA and show a ton of promise as His performance in LA gives us a good floor with which to judge Zuzic.

To answer the original question on playing time there is a clear path for Zizic to back up Horford by taking Olynyk/Zeller's minutes. Ainge has never paid big money for a backup and I don't expect Olynyk to be his first. I'm convinced this was the plan all along for Zizic.
 

Big John

New Member
Dec 9, 2016
2,086
Zizic and Yabusele are apples to oranges. Zizic is a classic Euro 7-footer, except that he also brings a relentless motor, which is not something you always see. Yabusele is probably best viewed as a young Paul Millsap-- or as a young Glen Davis-- depending on the phase of the moon.
 

HomeRunBaker

bet squelcher
SoSH Member
Jan 15, 2004
30,096
Zizic, yeah. I meant any big in China or the D league.
Yabusele isn't really a big that's why I didn't know you were referring to him. We have seen him be a stretch-4 in Summer League, in China and in the D-League......he will be making a major step up in competition and has the type of game that "could" be susceptible to longer and more athletic players.

If I had to guess I'd expect Zizic to impress as the season goes along next year with a major leap the following season.....while Yabusele would take longer to learn what he can and cannot do against longer and more athletic players. I don't expect much from Yabu next season at all.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
I think Zizic is the better prospect, just not sure by how much. People seem very confident he's going to play a big role next year. And Yabu isn't really a big but he seems like he'd be a possible replacement for Jerebko.

They may have room for Zizic and Yabu. Depending on the status of Jerebko, KO and Amir, that's 57 minutes of play up in the air. I'm guessing a lot of that depends on the outcome of the Chicago series too.
 

oumbi

Member
SoSH Member
Jun 15, 2006
4,167
Yabusele isn't really a big that's why I didn't know you were referring to him. We have seen him be a stretch-4 in Summer League, in China and in the D-League......he will be making a major step up in competition and has the type of game that "could" be susceptible to longer and more athletic players.

If I had to guess I'd expect Zizic to impress as the season goes along next year with a major leap the following season.....while Yabusele would take longer to learn what he can and cannot do against longer and more athletic players. I don't expect much from Yabu next season at all.
I am not exactly sure what is meant in this context by "big", though I suspect it is a reference to Yabusele being 6' 8". That is true, but what stands out for me are his very long arms.

For comparison of standing reach and wingspan only (not in any way meant to be predictive), Yabusele stacks up well in comparison some other power forwards in the nba now.

Yabusele
standing reach = 8'9"
wingspan = 7'1"

Blake Griffin
standing reach = 8'9"
wingspan = 6'11"

Kevin Love
standing reach = 8'10"
wingspan = 6'11"

Jabari Parker
standing reach = 8'8"
wingspan = 7'0"

P.S. Just for info and fun:

Zizic
standing reach = 9'3"
wingspan = 7'2.5"
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,457
From the first half here he is blowing by Othello Hunter's (Ohio State, Atlanta Hawks) closeout and Dunking on Trey Thompkins (georgia, LA Clippers).
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,457
My takeaways from this game..... Zizic looks good. He'd probably have 25 if Brad Wanamaker had ever learned to pass.
 

DannyDarwinism

Member
SoSH Member
Jul 7, 2007
4,883
He just got beat badly for a FT rebound by Gustavo Ayon. But his ball handlers need to throw it up to him off of the PnRs.

For the first time since Vitaly Potapenko, the Celtics will have an All-NBA widow's peak.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,457
Zizic out, probably done for the night.
Also Wanamaker is so terrible.

Edit- Starter got beasted for a rebound on one end committed a terrible foul on the other, Zizic in to close it out.
 

Jed Zeppelin

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2008
51,289
I am not exactly sure what is meant in this context by "big", though I suspect it is a reference to Yabusele being 6' 8". That is true, but what stands out for me are his very long arms.

For comparison of standing reach and wingspan only (not in any way meant to be predictive), Yabusele stacks up well in comparison some other power forwards in the nba now.

Yabusele
standing reach = 8'9"
wingspan = 7'1"
I believe that's roughly the same as Jared Sullinger, who has been a highly capable rebounder because of it (and his big butt, which the two also have in common) despite being generally more earthbound. Of course, Sullinger with a 3pt shot is a guy you take every day of the week.
 

RetractableRoof

tolerates intolerance
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Dec 1, 2003
3,836
Quincy, MA
#41 in green looks pretty good as well. :D

Seriously, I wish I knew more about proper footwork and positioning for bigs. He looks good, but how good ya know?
 

cardiacs

Admires Neville Chamberlain
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
2,993
Milford, CT
Zizic finished with 18 points on 8-10 shooting and 8 boards and was a big factor in Darrassafuka's upset win tonight.
I know it's just Euroleague but Madrid might be the best team outside the NBA and he looked very good up against them, especially considering he was the second youngest player on both teams.

Trying to come up with a comp for him but can't think of anyone yet.
 

Cellar-Door

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 1, 2006
34,457
Zizic finished with 18 points on 8-10 shooting and 8 boards and was a big factor in Darrassafuka's upset win tonight.
I know it's just Euroleague but Madrid might be the best team outside the NBA and he looked very good up against them, especially considering he was the second youngest player on both teams.

Trying to come up with a comp for him but can't think of anyone yet.
I like the Steven Adams one. Not perfect, but I can see the comp. I've also seen Gortat and Valanciunas comps.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
I've been watching highlight videos and while they are just highlight videos, Zizic does look more impressive. It looks like his game will translate better than Yabu's.
 

Cesar Crespo

79
SoSH Member
Dec 22, 2002
21,588
Last night he went 7/8 from the field, 6/7 from the line. 28:07, 20 points, 5 rebounds, 2 blocks vs Real Madrid in a game 3 loss.
That follows a game 2 where he played 24:04, with 17 and 8. 8/10 from the field.
 

Koufax

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,936
He's not a skinny kid any more. Sure he's not as muscular as your typical NBA big, but he's a lot closer than he was a year ago.
 

Big John

New Member
Dec 9, 2016
2,086
He was never a skinny kid. Zizic must have weighed 250 at birth and he's up to 260. Boston fans are going to love this kid.. He never stops.
 

Imbricus

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 26, 2017
4,810
What's more impressive about his last performance is Zizic had 20 points on a night when his team managed only 81. His shooting percentage from the field continues to be very high because he plays around the rim so much, like a prototypical big man. It'll be interesting to see if he can develop a mid-range jumper; if he does, he could be really good. He plays very high energy too; in every clip I see he's running and jumping around like he's been in the game for only a minute. I bet in a year we won't be talking about Zizic and Yabusele in the same breath, because Ante's development will be way out in front.
 

Jed Zeppelin

Member
SoSH Member
Aug 23, 2008
51,289
Not to set myself up for disappointment but given his ft shooting I'm expecting he'll be perfectly adequate from midrange (and hopefully beyond).

Also looks like he could really benefit from the better guard play he's going to get in Boston. Just in that short clip he established great position on the block multiple times only to see the guard fire up a shot (for him to rebound and outback).

We'll see about the defense. He's going to be mercilessly tested in the p&r game. But everything I read says he's a serious worker.

Size! How exciting.
 

Imbricus

Member
SoSH Member
Jan 26, 2017
4,810
Zizic just came in second in voting for the EuroLeague Rising Star Trophy. No shame there: the winner was prodigy Luka Doncic.
 

Koufax

Well-Known Member
Lifetime Member
SoSH Member
Jul 15, 2005
5,936
So maybe we end up with both of them. So much to look forward to.