He was Cibona’s junior, and he stepped into the NBA league from Belgrade Mega when he was only 19 years old. He was drafted by the Lakers, but after two and a half seasons, they traded him to the LA Clippers, where he established himself as one of the top 10 NBA centers, and for the second year in a row, he was Večernjak’s basketball player of the year.
To our message in which we congratulated him on being chosen as the basketball player of the year for the second year in a row, Ivica Zubac responded with an emoticon that clearly reflected his happiness and contentmentit says Večernji list.
And when he heard that this time in Marija Hezonja had a much bigger rival than the previous year when he won all ten tens, he joked:
I’ll have to get serious so I don’t get carried away. You say this was the 48th choice in the Večernji list poll? God, a beautiful tradition. I hope I can win the Sikirica statue again. I am glad that I continued the series of Herzegovinians who traditionally win this trophy. I know it all started with Dražen Dalipagićthat the laureate was i Josip Sesar, once my cousin too Zoran Planinic, and several times and Bojan Bogdanović.
Ivica will say that he expected the victory.
I expect that every year so I wasn’t surprised. Admittedly, I did not carefully follow all the announcements of the jury members because this week was quite crowded.
It is clear to us what he is talking about because in a very short time he experienced two great things: the birth of a daughter, and then the transfer to another club. In what period did it all happen?
Ivica Zubac became a father, he did not play against Cleveland
In about 36 hours. The daughter was born at 9:55 p.m. on Tuesday, and on Thursday, around 10:30 a.m., found out that I am a trader. So, in such a short period of time, I first experienced great joy, and then there were tears due to parting with a club where I felt very good.
He confided in us that he was in labor.
Yes, I was in the delivery room and it was a wonderful experience which I have never had before in my life. After all she’s been through, now I respect my wife even more. Women definitely have a higher tolerance for pain. If I had any doubts about that, now I am convinced of it.
Sienna. We didn’t mean the actress Sienna Miller, but the baby was named after the Italian city of the same name. Wife Kristina wanted that name from the beginning, so there wasn’t much discussion.
Was he surprised by the trade?
I am also during a woman’s delivery knew it could happen. We knew since December that Indiana was interested, they had been trying for some time, but the Clippers didn’t want to. In fact, they said they would only agree to it if they got a very good offer. Until one hour before the trade we thought it wasn’t going to happen nor in previous years. There were always calls. Clubs were interested, about ten clubs called for this transfer window alone, so anything was possible.
Ivica Zubac has a new club
And in the end it came true. Who told him that?
Our president Lawrence who promised to be the first to know if it happened. And indeed, he called me first, and only then confirmed to Indiana that he agreed to their package. The exchange did not come at the best timingbut everything is done fairly. I can’t blame anyone.
How did that conversation go?
As soon as Frank called me, I knew what it was about. The tone of his voice was sad. He told me that he had bad news and told me where and how I was going. He told me it was his the hardest thing he had to do during his tenure with the Clippers.
He hoped Indiana wouldn’t offer that packagethey wanted to keep me. But it was an offer that could not be refused. The only way they could trade me was if they were offered a “godfather deal,” an offer the Clippers couldn’t refuse. And they got two young players, two picks in this year’s draft that could be of high quality and another pick in the second round.
Ivica stated that it was his one of the hardest moments in my career.
Los Angeles is like a second home to me. I spent 10 years there, and the Clippers were like family to me. When the trade happened, I went to the club’s training center and spent eight hours there saying goodbye to the club’s employees. Many cried, they couldn’t believe it had happened. It was quite difficult.
And it was not easy for him to leave the conditions in which he worked. In a previous conversation, he said that no one in the NBA has such a training center.
You literally don’t even have to go home because you have everything there – an incredible number of experts for everything you need as an athlete, and you can also order whatever food you want.
Apart from the human aspect, did Ivica feel very good in the Clippers and in the basketball sense?
As for basketball, I had mine in the Clippers comfort zone. I knew the game system better than anyone because I had been in it for seven years. I knew what was being done at all times. Now I’m coming to a completely different game system and it will take time for me to get used to it. I’m not yet aware of how big a change that is. But I believe that Indiana is the right team for me.
How pleased he is that he was not traded because of the club’s dissatisfaction with his games, but because the large amount they could get for him?
It is and it is not. That’s good to hear, but the trade still happened. Admittedly, in today’s NBA there is probably no player who cannot be traded. Everyone is available for the right price. If it is Luka Doncic experienced it, then anyone can. Yes, there is a kind of satisfaction that Indiana had to offer a lot, but it also brings pressure. If they gave so much for me, they will certainly expect a lot from me.
How much does all this change his life?
Pretty much. Actually, I’m not even aware yet how much because I was in Indiana for half a day for a medical. Then I joined the team in New York where they told me not to wait for the game against Brooklyn and instead to go home to my wife and newborn child. When the plane landed in Indianapolis, I looked at white, snowy fields and frozen lakes through the window.
It’s quite cold. As for the city itself and the climate, it will be a huge change because it’s eternal spring in Los Angeles. Well, for the last few weeks it has been around 20 degrees, really beautiful weather. It seems I took it all for granted and didn’t realize how good we were. I will definitely appreciate Los Angeles a little more now.
Ivica Zubac
What is the plan for the family? Will she join him now or…?
Not until the end of the season, it doesn’t make sense. We still have two months left because, starting with injuries and not playing Halliburton, Indiana has a hard time making the playoffs this year. We will be moving as a family before the start of next season.
What about a house in Los Angeles?
We haven’t decided yet. Everything is possible. Although, owning real estate in Los Angeles is a great value. After all, we can always go there, host close people. For now, the house remains in our ownership.
Speaking of Halliburton, there are growing rumors that his return after a serious injury could turn the two into a great pick-and-roll tandem.
Of course. The two of us have talked a lot these days. Actually, he was the biggest “culprit” for this trade because he insisted on bringing me. I think it will be a good combination, the man had the best ratio between assists for the basket and turnovers last season. You can see that he loves basketball, that he follows everything, that he knows everything. And that makes me look forward to next season. If we are all healthy and the focus is on that, we will have a great chance to fight for the title next season.
Like Halliburton, Ivica was also injured, but not as badly.
I had ruptured two ligaments and a muscle tear, which was accompanied by profuse bleeding. Even today, swelling is present in that place and the joint is still not one hundred percent stable. The plan is not to get back on the court until I am fully fit, especially since there is no pressure to fight for the playoffs.
When could he play his first game for Indiana?
I believe it will be soon and I look forward to it. I’m not sure what game it will be, but I expect it to be after the All-Star break. I am eager to feel that atmosphere and welcome.
As far as we managed to register, he and Kobe Brown they arrived in Indianapolis by private plane. Does someone organize that transfer or does the player manage on his own?
It is organized by the club. I don’t know if this is their obligation, but it is common practice to do so. In addition, they gave me a few more days after the birth of the child, knowing how much it means to me to be with my wife and baby. They are really considerate and family oriented.
It was not the first trade for Ivica in his career. But in the first one, he went from one end of the city to the other.
In the logistical sense, it could hardly be called a trade. I didn’t have to travel anywhere, wait for my new team anywhere, I didn’t have to move. I guess it was the easiest trade in player exchange history.
And he found out about that in Boston, while he was waiting for the game of his Lakers against the Celtics?
Just as I wind up my watch for the afternoon break, a call arrives from the general manager Pelinka goods. I knew immediately what it was. Actually, they called him and Magic Johnson telling me they traded me to the Clippers. Seeing that they were playing in Boston in two days, I stayed there to welcome my new team. I was five or six days in Boston.
After a great last season in which he recorded 16.8 points and 12.6 rebounds per game, this year he recorded slightly lower numbers – 14.4 points and 11 rebounds per game. What is the reason for that?
Photo: Večernji list
Those numbers were almost the same before the ankle injury. But then I missed a certain number of games, and the team started playing differently. Without me, they had to focus on some other things in attack. And when I came back, I had a restriction in minutes, as a precaution, so I tried to fit in as much as possible. According to the estimate, I should have had a break of three to five weeks, and I came back in two, so they were extra careful. The team played well without me, so I didn’t want to impose myself. In addition, the defenses adapted to me more, so in almost every game, they doubled me when I played with my back to the basket.
Big Zoo has arrived in the most basketball state in the USA. At least that’s how the citizens of Indianapolis beat themselves.
You can see it from the first second. As soon as I landed in Indiana, everyone knew who I was, they knew I had become a father. I got on social media countless messages of support. At every Pacers game, the hall is full of holes, and it’s the same when the Indiana Fever team from the women’s NBA league plays.
The aforementioned All-Star break is an obligation for the most popular, and an opportunity for everyone else to take a break. How has Zubac spent his All-Star weekends so far?
We would always go somewhere very warm, where we can enjoy the beach and the sea. Be that as it may Mexico or the Caribbean. Of course, this time we planned to stay in Los Angeles because of the newborn child.
And when the warm summer comes, Ivica and his family will travel to Croatia, where certain representative duties await him.
I will play the qualifying matches for the World Cup – that is my priority now. I can’t wait for those matches and I hope that the boys will do a good job in this qualification window and win at least one victory in the two games against Germany. I am extremely motivated, and so is my new coach To Rick Carlisle I am glad that I will play for the national team, because he believes that it will help me to be in the best possible condition for the start of the new season.
He says that he was very happy with the victory over Israel?
The national team really looked great in that game. I am in contact with coach Mijatović, it will be good.
How Ivica comments on what happened to the captain of the national team Dario Sarićwho changed two clubs in 48 hours (Chicago, Detroit) only to be written off by the latter.
That’s the NBA for you. I know they told him in Sacramento that he would get a chance, and that didn’t happen. In the NBA, you can’t trust anyone and you always have to be ready for anything. But now he is in a position to know where he stands. He will get a full contract and can prepare for the new season or maybe sign for someone until the end of the season. In addition, the Euroleagues are also interested in him because Dario is a player who makes a difference. Many teams would love to have such a player in their ranks.
And Ivica, like Dario, accumulated 10 years of NBA experience which means a rather high pension.
Yes, now we’re going for ten more seasons.
(www.jabuka.tv)
