The Boston Celtics selected Croatian center Ante Zizic with the No. 23 pick in the 2016 NBA draft. It has been assumed for several months that Zizic will join the Celtics this summer, and that speculation appears to be correct.

According to reports out of Croatia, Zizic has decided not to play for his country during the upcoming EuroBasket tournament, which runs from Aug. 31 to Sept. 17, so he can focus on his move to the NBA ahead of the 2017-18 season.

ESPN's Chris Forsberg reported last month that Zizic probably will play with the Celtics in July at the Utah Summer League and Las Vegas Summer League. Boston's first game in Utah is July 3 against Philadelphia.

"July 1 just has to roll over on the calendar, and we’ll sign him," Celtics director of player personnel Austin Ainge said a few months ago. "He wants to be here, and we want him here."

Zizic finished the 2016-17 season playing in Turkey with Darussafaka Dogus Istanbul, and he came in second in the EuroLeague Rising Star voting behind Real Madrid's Luka Doncic, who could be the No. 1 pick in the 2018 NBA draft.

-- Nick Silva