In a tense moment captured on video, two NBA stars found themselves embroiled in an altercation at a nightclub in Greece. Nuggets center Dario Saric and Clippers center Ivica Zubac, both representing Croatia, were involved in the incident just hours after their team’s defeat in the Olympic qualifying tournament.
The incident occurred at the Bolivar Beach Bar in Alimos, a suburb of Athens, at around 5:30 a.m. on Monday. Zubac was seen engaging with another individual as the venue’s security attempted to intervene. Shortly after, Saric arrived on the scene to support his national team teammate.
The video footage shows the situation escalating, with Saric appearing to be briefly restrained by another individual. However, the altercation was eventually brought under control, and the two NBA players were escorted out of the venue.
The roots of the confrontation remain unclear, as the TMZ Sports report indicated that “it did not appear police were present” during the incident.
The incident came on the heels of a tough day for the Croatian basketball team. Earlier that day, they had suffered an 80-69 defeat to Greece, led by NBA superstar Giannis Antetokounmpo, in the finals of the Olympic qualifying tournament. This loss dashed Croatia’s hopes of securing a spot in the upcoming Paris Olympics.
Saric, who had just signed a two-year, $10.6 million contract with the Nuggets, contributed 14 points, 12 rebounds and 4 assists in the losing effort. Zubac, playing for the Clippers, put up an impressive statline of 19 points and 12 rebounds.
The disappointing result means that Croatia will once again miss out on competing in the Olympics in basketball, having last qualified in 2016 in Rio de Janeiro. The altercation involving Saric and Zubac has added to the disappointment, raising questions about the emotional toll of the defeat.
