Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac had a breakthrough season in 2024-25, receiving the most playing time of his nine-year <a href=”https://www.buzzineintl.com/category/basketball/nba/”>NBA career and recording career-high statistics. This performance elevated his status as one of the league’s top starting centers and fueled his passion for mentoring emerging European basketball talent. Currently, Zubac is sharing his experience and insights as a coach and mentor at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in Manchester.
Zubac’s Emergence as a Leading NBA Center and Mentor
Last season marked a pivotal point for Ivica Zubac, as he logged 32.8 minutes in 80 games, producing personal bests of 16.8 points, 12.6 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. His exceptional growth earned him second place in the Most Improved Player voting, a spot on the NBA All-Defensive Second Team, and sixth place in the Defensive Player of the Year race. With these achievements, Zubac has firmly established himself as one of the top centers in the NBA.
Beyond his individual success, Zubac is devoted to using his journey to inspire and teach the next generation of basketball players, especially those coming from Europe. He recognizes the hurdles he overcame and the lessons learned transitioning to the NBA, and he aims to guide young athletes navigating similar challenges.
Taking on a Leadership Role at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Camp
This week, Zubac is in Manchester coaching at the 22nd Basketball Without Borders Europe Camp, an event that brings together 60 elite high school players from 27 countries. The camp is hosted in the United Kingdom for the first time. Zubac spoke to Clippers On SI about how his path shaped his desire to support young European players pursuing NBA dreams.
I know how challenging and how difficult a path from Europe to NBA might be,
Zubac said.
Just being able to contribute, to help these kids out — maybe share one thing that’s going to help them. I’m happy with that. So I’m glad I’m here.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
Drafted in the second round by the Los Angeles Lakers in 2016, Zubac initially struggled for consistent minutes until his trade to the Clippers in 2018-19. Even after joining LA, his playing time varied until last season, when he became a consistent starter and major contributor. His experience of patiently working toward a permanent role enables him to advise young players about perseverance and adaptability.
It can help them a lot,
Zubac said.
My path was very different and difficult just getting to the NBA, and then navigating the differences between FIBA basketball and NBA basketball, and then trying to figure out how I can impact the game when I get in for few minutes.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
In his early career, Zubac constantly sought ways to earn more playing time and a stable role, a mentality he now passes on to the camp’s participants. He emphasizes the importance of effort and consistency in securing minutes at the highest level.
What can I do to get more minutes in the next game? How can I earn my role to be consistent every night? I think just going through all that stuff, and the fact that nothing was really given to me in my career, I think that experience — in that regard, I can help these kids a lot.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
The Value of Access to Elite Basketball Knowledge
Before entering the NBA at age 19, Zubac lacked the opportunity to learn from top-tier professional talent or attend camps like Basketball Without Borders. Now, he is excited to offer young players access to world-class coaches and champions, including Nick Nurse, Derek Fisher, and Tyson Chandler, who are involved in the camp.
I was never blessed or lucky enough to be part of something like this when I was younger,
Zubac remarked.
I think it definitely could help. I hope these kids realize how special of an opportunity this is, just to be around a coach like Nick Nurse who won an NBA championship, Derek Fisher who won five NBA championships, Tyson Chandler — NBA champion and Defensive Player of the Year, WNBA players who won championships.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
He added,
I hope they realize how lucky they are and how valuable the knowledge is that those people got. They’ve been great so far, asking questions, trying to learn, and hopefully they can get back a lot from this camp.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
Zubac Engages with Clippers Fans at the Camp While Looking Forward to the 2025-26 Season
During his time in Manchester, Zubac has encountered numerous Clippers fans among the camp attendees, many of whom follow the team closely. Their curiosity about the squad, including new signings and recent performances, has been evident.
A bunch of these kids know a lot about our team,
Zubac shared.
They ask me a bunch of questions about the team, about the new additions that we got, who we signed. A couple kids play high school basketball in the states, and one of the kids was at a game last year. So they follow the Clippers a lot, and you can tell there’s much more — there’s a lot of kids that that really like the Clippers and follow them. Just being able to represent my team and the Clippers means a lot.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
Zubac expressed enthusiasm about the Clippers’ offseason moves, believing the team addressed every area of weakness from the prior season. With key acquisitions such as Bradley Beal, John Collins, Brook Lopez, and Chris Paul, he expects a stronger, more balanced squad in 2025-26.
I’m very happy, Zubac said.
I think the team got much better than last year. Last year we won 50 games, and I think we improved a lot. I think all the weaknesses we had from last year we improved. We got bigger, we got a backup center, we got a four, we got Bradley Beal, we got Chris Paul. So I think we improved a lot. I’m very happy, and I’m super excited to start the season and see what we can do.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
Reflections on Playoff Disappointment and Confidence in the Future
The Clippers’ 50-win campaign last season was an achievement that outpaced expectations but was marred by a first-round playoff exit at the hands of the Denver Nuggets. Notably, injuries did not impact their postseason performance for the first time since 2020.
The conversation was that we could have won that series,
Zubac reflected.
That we let that one slip. I think Game 1 and Game 4 could have went both ways.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
Despite external doubt, the Clippers cultivated confidence throughout the season, especially in their final 21 games when they posted an 18-3 run. Defensive adjustments and strong teamwork laid a foundation they intend to build on moving forward.
We felt like we were much better than a first round exit,
Zubac noted.
And we had that feeling throughout the whole season, but especially that last stretch, the last 21 games. It was something we could build on. Defense was very good. We played a little different than the years before. I think just with adding these new guys, building on what we did last year, I think we’re in a good position and we are very confident going into next season.
—Ivica Zubac, Clippers center
This upcoming season holds promise for both Zubac and the Clippers as they aim to translate their regular-season success into a deeper playoff run, fueled by new talent and a cohesive core. Meanwhile, Zubac’s commitment to fostering European basketball talent showcases his dedication not only to his team but also to the sport’s global growth and the nurturing of future stars.