Ivica Zubac’s early years with the Los Angeles Lakers could have unfolded very differently. Instead, they became a story of missed development, shifting priorities, and a trade that still leaves fans wondering what could have been.
Speaking on the ‘X&O’s CHAT’ podcast, Zubac shared a revealing behind-the-scenes look at how close he was to receiving mentorship from one of the greatest big men in basketball history.
“Then one practice, I was working with the legendary Lakers trainer Bill Bertka. He’s like 100 years old, or close. I think he’s close to a hundred. And he still comes in almost every day, goes to the gym, does some biceps with three-kilo weights just to stay active.”
“He worked with Wilt Chamberlain, with Kareem, with all the legendary Lakers big men. And my very first workout when I arrived, they assigned me to train with him. He had me running circles for 20 minutes to warm up, holding a medicine ball overhead.”
“Then we start working and he asks, ‘Can you shoot the skyhook? Back in Cibona, I worked on that a lot with coach Mestrovic, I don’t know if you remember. So we used to practice that skyhook all the time.”
“I tell him I can, and he’s like, ‘Show me.’ I shoot a few and he’s like, alright. And the next day, we always do weights before court work. So I’m in the gym and he comes in. He says, ‘Come to the court, Kareem’s waiting for you.’ I’m like, waiting for who? ‘Kareem’s on the court. He’s not going to wait forever. Let’s go.'”
“So I walk out, Kareem’s standing there. He says, ‘I heard you can shoot the skyhook. Show me.’ Now I’m nervous. It’s Kareem. I shoot it. He invented the move. I take a few shots and he’s like, ‘Yeah, that looks good.’ And then he starts showing me.”
“He’s been shooting it for 70 years.” At his age he’s still shooting skyhooks. His footwork is unbelievable. I don’t know, he makes everything. Baseline turnarounds, skyhooks, all net. So we did a few workouts together.”
“He was working with the Lakers then. And he had a meeting with the front office. I don’t know what happened, but it never materialized in the end. Pelinka was involved too. He wanted an official role with the team to work with me and the big men and me, but it never ended up happening. Unfortunately, that was it with Kareem.”
“But we did have a few workouts, and then he came to one game to watch me. And Luke Walton drew up the very first play for me to get a shot. He told me, ‘You have to shoot a skyhook from the baseline.’ So first play, I go middle, skyhook, and I miss. And that was it. That was the end of my plays. They never called it again.”
That sequence symbolizes his Lakers tenure. Opportunity presented, then brief support, and then silence.
In 2019, Zubac and Michael Beasley were traded to the Los Angeles Clippers for Mike Muscala. At the time, many questioned the move. The Lakers did not urgently need to move a young, developing center. Since then, they have cycled through options at the position, never fully replacing what Zubac quietly provided.
Meanwhile, Zubac flourished with the Clippers. He became a steady, reliable presence. This season, now with the Indiana Pacers after a deadline move, he is averaging 14.4 points and 11.0 rebounds while shooting an efficient 61.3% from the field. He produces consistent double-doubles and anchors the paint without demanding touches.
It raises an obvious question. What if the Lakers had committed to developing him properly?
Zubac’s career has already included harsh lessons. He spoke openly about the shock of losing nearly half his first $250,000 NBA advance to California taxes. He has also discussed how high-stakes card games like Bourre can put players into serious debt if they are not careful.
The Lakers had a young seven-footer eager to learn the skyhook from its inventor. They had Kareem willing to mentor him, but it slipped away.
Sometimes failure is not about potential. It is about timing, commitment, and vision. For Zubac, that vision ultimately came elsewhere.
