"Some of our players were verbally and then physically attacked, prompting them to defend themselves" - Zubac and Saric figure in a brawl in an Athens club

Croatian hoopers Ivica Zubac and Dario Saric found themselves in an unfortunate situation recently. According to TMZ Sports, the pair figured in a brawl against several men at the popular Bolivar Beach Bar in Athens, Greece, hours after Croatia's loss to Greece in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT). Witnesses said it was unclear what ignited the physical altercation.

However, the Croatian Basketball Federation (CBF) clarified that Zubac and Saric were not the aggressors and acted out of self-defense.

"While hanging out at a club in Athens, some of our players were verbally and then physically attacked, prompting them to defend themselves," the CBF told TMZ Sports. "The incident was brief, thanks to the quick intervention of the club's security staff."

Croatia's failed stab at an Olympic trip

Team Croatia was in Greece to take part in the OQT in hopes of securing a berth in the Paris Olympics later this summer. The squad did well, making it all the way to the final, only to lose to the host team. Giannis Antetokounmpo proved unstoppable, recording 23 points and eight rebounds. His compatriots, particularly Georgios Papagiannis and Nick Calathes, also had strong performances.

Zubac and Saric did their part, putting up double-doubles, with the Los Angeles Clippers center finishing with 19 points and 13 rebounds and the former Golden State Warriors forward registering 13 markers and 12 boards.

The team reportedly went out for a farewell dinner the day before the duel, and some of their other countrymen decided to head to the famous nightclub.

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Preparing for a crucial season

Fortunately for the Croatian stars, it doesn't seem like the fight exacted heavy damage on them because, despite not heading to Paris to fight for an Olympic medal, they are expected to play key roles for their respective NBA squads in the 2024-25 campaign.

Zubac will likely feature in a more prominent offensive role for the Clippers, who parted ways with Paul George this offseason. In the 2023-24 season, he averaged a career-high 11.7 points to go along with 9.2 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game.

As for Saric, he is coming off a one-season stint with the Warriors and will play next for the Denver Nuggets.

Considering that the Nuggets had virtually no offensive threat off the bench in the 2024 playoffs, the 30-year-old big man should be busy in the next campaign. He probably won't be alone on his new employer's bench mob, though, as the organization has been heavily linked to Zubac's Clippers teammate, Russell Westbrook.

Related: "That's an honor" - Giannis on potentially becoming Greece's flag bearer for 2024 Olympics