Jan 28, 2025 | Features, Features & Profiles, Los Angeles, NBA, Sports, Valleys

How Clippers Ivica Zubac’s Game has Grown

If I asked you who the most senior player is on the Los Angeles Clippers, how long would it take you to answer? If you said Ivica Zubac, you are likely the biggest Clippers fan your family knows, or you’re an above-average fan of the National Basketball Association.

Clippers #40 Ivica Zubac backs down Lakers #28 Rui Hachimura (Photo by Jevone Moore of Full Image 360)

By Cleavon Steele | Voice of the Fans

In his ninth year in the NBA Zubac has been a quintessential big man. You know the guys, the game has seemingly turned its back on. Throughout his career, the average amount of three-pointers taken in an NBA game has risen from 9.7 in the 2016-2017 season to 13.5 this season. Simultaneously, Zubac has become a solid and reliable big man for the Clippers.

“We love (Zubac) over here. He’s been great all year long,” Clippers Head Coach Tyronn Lue said leaving no doubt about how the Clippers value his presence in their lineup. “Protecting the paint, owning the paint offensively, getting to his spots, getting to his jump hook, and playing that short roll with James (Harden).”

The twenty-seven-year-old Croatian native became one of the few players who were traded in the arduous relationship between the Los Angeles Lakers and Clippers franchises. In a move made to ostensibly appease the then newly acquired LeBron James, the Lakers sent the second-year big man to the Clippers for a three-point shooting Mike Muscala.

On January 19th, Zubac scored 21 points and grabbed 19 rebounds against his former team. That was also the fourth time he’s recorded 18 or more rebounds in a game in the past four weeks. His development has been impressive, to say the least. He is experiencing career highs across the board, on a team not many pundits expected much from this season. Especially when considering they neglected to resign current forward Philadelphia 76’s Paul George and Kawhi Leonard has spent much of the season preparing for his seasons earlier this month.

“That’s just who he is. He wants to play every single night. We know it couldn’t get any worse because he got kneed or kicked, and it wasn’t a strain or something,” coach Lue said about Zubac’s willingness to play through pain. “We knew if he could play through the pain, he would be okay. Zu wants to play every game. He came and tested it out and went from not playing to playing 40 minutes.”

Zubac currently leads the NBA in offensive rebounds (156), ranks third in total rebounds (519), and is sixth in FG% (.615). He is also tied for seventh in the NBA in double-doubles this season (26), averaging career highs in points (15.0), rebounds (12.7) and field goal attempts per game (10.9). On pace to be the first Clipper since DeAndre Jordan in 2017-18 to average a double-double on the season.

“All year long Zubac has been good. We can post the ball and slow the game down,” coach Lue says about the versatility he brings to the game. “Coming out of a timeout, how many times before, we would have come out with James (Harden), Norm on the floor and we post Zubac, and he gets us a three-point play to go up 14 when the lead was cut down to 11.”

His development is evident to anyone who’s paying attention. Zubac, or Zu, as many fans and teammates call him, has earned the respect of his teammates and coaches, who are now looking for Zu when the game is on the line. As we’ve seen in their game against the Memphis Grizzlies last month, Zubac is committed to playing hard even while he is hobbled.

“We knew they were going to fire on James (Harden), and when they do that, we know what to do. When the ball got to me, they rotated on Nico (Batum), and Nico made a great pass. I got it low, and I knew I had to go up strong and finish,” said Zubac about their play to close out their win against the Grizzlies. “It doesn’t feel special we are playing team basketball; whoever is open, we’re going to make the right play. We trust all 15 guys out there.”

A standout moment that showcases Zubac’s growth occurred against the Portland Trailblazers, where he dominated with two of his team-leading blocks in a single play. His pride in his progress is evident when he describes the play.

“Scoot was going downhill, and I saw in his eyes that he was going to rim, so I was just ready for that. Once I blocked it, it bounced off to Ayton. He was turned with his back to me; he was wide open, so I knew he was going for the dunk,” Zubac says as he describes the play against the Trailblazers when he got two blocks on the same play. “I knew he didn’t see me, so that’s where I timed it right and got all ball. Usually, I try to give two efforts; sometimes I don’t get it, but I’m happy I got that one.”

“Compared to the time I got into the league, I gained some muscle, got in better shape, lost some fat…,” Zubac said detailing the steps that he’s taken to improve his game. “I’m doing all the stuff that helps me move laterally, faster, and get up and down the court. That was a big improvement on that end.”

He was also very open about how he feels about having earned the confidence of his coaches and teammates. The career highs Zubac had been putting up this season, is yet another example of what performing in a place where you are valued vs tolerated can do for your mindset.

“That’s great. That’s all I ever wanted,” Zubac says about the confidence and encouragement he receives from his teammates this season. “They’re pushing me to be great, all you can do you out there is play hard and try to prove them right. They trust me, and I trust them. It’s a joy going out there and playing with these guys.”

While putting up career high stats, some could say Zubac deserves to be an NBA All Star reserve. Though that might be a stretch, it speaks to the growth and development that he has shown each year in the NBA. We know from hearing from his coaches and teammates the Clippers values his presence on the court and in the locker room