Zubac Chose To Be Prepared Rather Than Pessimistic

By Kevin Ding - Senior Writer

Same as this injury-filled Lakers season hasn’t been the simple, straightforward story of success that most fans would prefer, Ivica Zubac’s climb up the the NBA mountain has included slow periods of lateral traversing and some costly slips in foothold.

The up of 24 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks—big-man numbers so big that only Shaquille O’Neal, Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard have delivered them for the Lakers since 2000—to beat Phoenix’s thin frontcourt Sunday was followed by going down to humbling defeat against Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid. Zubac concluded after the loss Tuesday: “I can’t help the team that way. I’ve got to be aggressive and just go get it—no matter what, no matter who.”

Most would say Zubac came out of nowhere on this Lakers roster supposed to be guided by veteran newcomers and uplifted by youngsters who gained acclaim last season. A small minority of inside observers and loyalists might suggest Zubac is merely fulfilling his proper destiny, though.

Zubac actually is tied with Brandon Ingram for the longest current tenure among Lakers players, both coming in the 2016 draft. Ingram came with obvious expectations as the second overall pick, but the truth is that the Lakers also ranked Zubac as a top 15 talent in that draft and were elated to land him at No. 32. The Lakers’ bargain hunting had been bolstered by Zubac’s agent, knowing the young Croatian’s dream was to join the Lakers, persuading other clubs that Zubac would stay in Europe another year if chosen by them.

Zubac, Kuzma, and Hart walk to the bench against Chicago

In light of that great potential the Lakers saw, perhaps it’s not surprising for Zubac to have arrived here in his early career arc as a significant NBA player—even if he, like Ingram, is only 21. Yet it has been such a circuitous route to become the consistent presence of today, especially considering Zubac barely played the first two months of the season, that this is truly impressive stuff. The mere fact that we’re discussing Zubac as relevant to the Lakers’ present and future is a major accomplishment.

It’s a credit to Zubac’s faith in himself and diligent preparation.

“We saw him working this hard in the offseason,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said. “Unfortunately, he fell behind early in the season and he’s done a nice job of continuing to work and take advantage of opportunities. You get little chances here and there, and you have to show your coaches you deserve more. He’s done a really nice job of that. Every time we play him, he keeps playing at a high level.

“We give him all the credit, and that has been a big part of us being able to pull together some wins during this stretch where everyone has been hurt or getting hurt.”

Let it be a lesson to all about how to respond when it feels like outside forces are holding you down, when it feels hopeless with nothing on the horizon, because Zubac is hellbent on this being redemption after wilting and withdrawing last season when he wasn’t getting playing time.

“That’s how I was last year. When I realized I wasn’t going to play, everything went downhill,” Zubac said. “I learned from that. I thought, ‘I can’t let that happen.’ I had to work.”