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Dario Saric and Ivica Zubac were involved in a wild barfight in Greece on Monday morning following a loss in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament. The big men both play for Team Croatia, who lost to fellow NBA star Giannis Antetokounmpo in the final contest.
While the “Greek Freak” punched his ticket to the Paris Games, Saric and Zubac were seen doing some punching of their own after the fact – albeit of a different variety.
The duo went out for a drink in hopes of drowning their sorrows after that narrow defeat, and they apparently found trouble. TMZ Sports posted a video of the event along with details of what unfolded.
NBA players Ivica Zubac and Dario Saric were involved in an intense physical altercation at a nightclub near Athens, Greece early Monday morning … just hours after the two competed for Croatia in an Olympic Qualifying Tournament game.
TMZ Sports has obtained video taken inside the popular Bolivar Beach Bar around 5:30 AM … which starts with the LA Clippers big man already involved in a scrap with someone as several men — who appear to be club security — rush up and grab him from behind…
At one point in the scuffle, a man puts Saric in a chokehold and brings him to the ground … where he laid for several moments. Meanwhile, a man is shown yelling at Zubac and telling him to calm down — which worked, as he stepped backward with his hands up. Eventually, Saric gets up and stumbles toward Zubac … and the group of men push the hoopers to the exit.
The video is a bit choppy, but slow-motion footage shows the moment Saric was placed in that chokehold. You can then clearly see them exiting the premises after he returns to his feet.
At 6-foot-10 and 7-foot, respectively, the giants towered over the crowd, though that didn’t seem to matter given how things transpired.
While the altercation did get physical, the reason for the brawl is still unknown. Though police didn’t appear to be called, the video could lead to some questions from their NBA franchises when Saric and Zubac return to the States.
Each played well in that Team Croatia loss, totaling double digits in the defeat. Unfortunately, they’ll now leave Greece with two L’s.