Former NBA first-round pick Ante Zizic hospitalized after scary fall in Israeli League game

A former NBA player had to be taken to the hospital after a scary play in an Israeli League game on Monday.

Ante Zizic, who was an NBA first-round pick in 2016, was injured in the first half against Hapoel B-Cure Laser Haifa. Zizic, the Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv center, was playing defense and got bowled over on an opponent’s drive to the basket, hitting the back of his head on the court.

You can see a video of the scary incident here.

EuroHoops reports that Zizic lost consciousness and was stretchered off. Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv announced that Zizic was taken to the hospital and has since regained consciousness. He will remain hospitalized overnight though. Other reports from the scene stated that Zizic is expected to be OK.

The game was reportedly delayed for about 20 minutes due to the Zizic injury. Maccabi would lose to Hapoel in overtime by the final of 123-114.

Zizic, 25, signed with Maccabi in 2020 and won the Israeli Cup with them last year. Prior to that, he was drafted by the Boston Celtics with the No. 23 overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft. Zizic also played three seasons with the Cleveland Cavaliers, having been involved in one of the NBA’s biggest trades of the last half-decade.