The Los Angeles Lakers introduced the newest additions to the team, Brandon Ingram and Ivica Zubac, on Tuesday in El Segundo. The second overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, Brandon Ingram, stole the spotlight during the press conference, but the Lakers’ second-rounder, Ivica Zubac, also had some interesting things to say to the media.
Zubac is a 7’1″ center out of Croatia, and he is ready to prove to everyone that he belongs on the roster. The big man comes from humble beginnings, and according to Lakers beat reporter Mike Trudell, Zubac feels like his past has given him the tools to succeed in the NBA:
Zubac said he was never given anything; he’s always had to earn what he’s gotten. Thinks that mindset will continue to help him succeed.
— Mike Trudell (@LakersReporter) July 5, 2016
The Lakers have done their due diligence in the draft with their second round picks in recent years, selecting Jordan Clarkson, Larry Nance Jr., and Anthony Brown, so they are hopeful that they have found yet another gem in Zubac.
Though it has not been addressed yet, Zubac will likely seek advice from Timofey Mozgov, whom the Lakers recently acquired via free agency. Mozgov is also a foreign-born player who had to adjust to the NBA lifestyle.
Many foreign players will tell you that it is not an easy adjustment to make from their normal lives to the fast-paced lifestyle of an NBA athlete, so it will be beneficial for the 19-year-old, Zubac, to be taken under the wing of Mozgov.
The NBA world will get their first impression of Zubac on Friday, July 8 when the Lakers will take on the New Orleans Pelicans in the Las Vegas Summer League. The first of five guaranteed games on the Lakers’ Summer League schedule.