Ivica Zubac’s early days with the Lakers had the makings of a Hollywood basketball story-one that could’ve featured mentorship from Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, skyhooks under the Staples Center lights, and a young big man blossoming into a franchise cornerstone. Instead, it became a tale of missed opportunities, fading support, and a trade that still has fans shaking their heads.
On the ‘X&O’s CHAT’ podcast, Zubac peeled back the curtain on just how close he came to working extensively with Kareem-yes, the Kareem-during his rookie season in L.A. The story starts with a familiar name for longtime Lakers followers: Bill Bertka, the legendary trainer who’s been around since the days of Wilt and Kareem, and who, according to Zubac, was still hitting the gym into his 90s.
Zubac recalled his first workout with Bertka, which involved running laps with a medicine ball overhead-old-school stuff. But then came the moment that changed everything.
“Can you shoot the skyhook?” Bertka asked.
Zubac could. He’d worked on it back in Croatia under coach Mestrovic. So he showed Bertka a few, and the next day, things got real.
“I’m in the weight room, and Bertka comes in. He says, ‘Come to the court, Kareem’s waiting for you,’” Zubac said. “I thought he was joking.”
He wasn’t.
Zubac walked into the gym to find the NBA’s all-time leading scorer-at the time-standing there, ready to see the skyhook in action. Nervous but game, Zubac took a few shots.
Kareem liked what he saw. Then came a few workouts together, with Kareem demonstrating the move he made famous, still draining skyhooks and baseline turnarounds like he was in his prime.
But just as quickly as the opportunity appeared, it faded. Kareem had been working with the Lakers in an unofficial capacity and reportedly wanted a formal role mentoring big men like Zubac.
According to Zubac, Rob Pelinka was involved in the discussions. But whatever momentum there was, it stalled.
The mentorship never materialized.
Still, there was one more moment. Kareem came to a game.
Luke Walton, then the Lakers’ head coach, drew up the first play specifically for Zubac-a skyhook from the baseline. Zubac took the shot.
He missed. And just like that, the skyhook-and his offensive role-vanished from the playbook.
That moment feels like a metaphor for his Lakers stint: a flash of potential, a glimmer of support, and then… silence.
In 2019, the Lakers traded Zubac and Michael Beasley to the Clippers for Mike Muscala. At the time, it was a head-scratcher.
Zubac was a young, developing center on a cheap deal, and the Lakers weren’t exactly loaded with frontcourt depth. Since then, they’ve cycled through bigs-some splashy, some serviceable-but none have quite provided the steady presence Zubac quietly offered.
Meanwhile, across the hallway at Crypto.com Arena, Zubac found his footing. He became a reliable, no-frills center for the Clippers-anchoring the paint, cleaning the glass, setting hard screens, and finishing efficiently without needing the offense to run through him.
Now with the Indiana Pacers following a trade deadline move, Zubac is putting up 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds per game while shooting a blistering 61.3% from the field. He’s a walking double-double and a stabilizing force in the middle.
He doesn’t demand touches. He just delivers.
It’s hard not to wonder what might’ve happened if the Lakers had leaned into his development. They had a willing student in Zubac.
They had a living legend in Kareem ready to teach. But the moment slipped through their fingers.
Zubac’s journey hasn’t been without its hard lessons. He’s spoken candidly about losing nearly half of his first $250,000 NBA advance to California taxes-an eye-opener for any rookie. He’s also warned about the dangers of high-stakes card games like Bourré, which have been known to leave players in serious debt.
Through it all, Zubac has grown-not just into a dependable NBA center, but into a player who understands the business, the grind, and the fleeting nature of opportunity in the league.
The Lakers once had a 7-footer eager to learn the skyhook from the man who created it. They had a legend in their building, ready to pass the torch. And they let it go.