OFFICIAL IVICA ZUBAC THREAD

[Landsberger]

I'm liking the comparisons. If he is anywhere near as good as any of those players the Lakers have struck gold!

Where we got him in the draft we've already struck gold. His attitude and approach is probably his best asset.

[dAdo dA dEvil]

He is a hybrid of the Gasol brothers. His sense of humor is a plus.

[RingsDontLie]

Not his best outing today against minie. Was looking forward to see how he would match against Towns. Guy got worked! Let's see how he responds after that game.

[AcecardZ]

And to think we were one pick away from getting KAT... gah!

[milesfides]

Towns is a bad dude. KAT was an elite big man even his rookie season. He projects to be one of the greats. He and Anthony Davis are just special big men who can do it all. Hall of fame.

But Zubac has been solid. Not on their level, not a 20-10 guy right away with all the fixings.

But at his age? His production is excellent, his rebounding and shot blocking is there, and most of all, his work ethic, team play, and SOFT TOUCH around the basket. At 19, 20 years old.

Can't teach that.

Even if he doesn't reach top 5 center in the league, he almost certainly will be top 10 and won't hurt you. He's good enough to be a center for a championship team.

I just love his demeanor. He's a pro. He's smooth. He looks mature out there. It's kind of sad because no other position is really locked down on our roster, except for Center.

[danfantastk32]

Even if he doesn't reach top 5 center in the league, he almost certainly will be top 10 and won't hurt you. He's good enough to be a center for a championship team.

So I decided to look up the top-10 centers coming into this year. Let' see what we're looking at:
10-Steven Adams.
9-Brook Lopez
8-Rudy Gobert
7-Dwight Howard
6-Hassan Whiteside
5-Marc Gasol
4-Andre Drummond
3-Al Horford
2-DeAndre Jordan
1-DeMarcus Cousins

Obviously KAT will be on the list next year. I think your gonna see Brook off...and prob will see Marc off before too long. Assuming Zubac takes a decent step forward next year (not massive...but a nice-solid step) and gets the bulk of minutes....I could see him breaking the top-10 the following year. Center is a pretty weak position, IMO.

I think the offense will come to him. He's already got alot of polish. Time/Repetition will hone his offense. He should have no worries at that end. (Work on mid-range game. Don't worry about jackin' 3's......just keep doing what your doing, and develop those 3-4 "sweet spot" 12-16 foot shots. You'll be plenty potent with that.

What I'd like to see him work on the most, would be to get a little more athleticism, and develop the footwork/positioning to be a legit rebounder. That will help him defensively as well. He'll never be a Whiteside or Jordan type....but he can body his way in...and with a little more hops, I think he can muscle / position himself into winning a bundle of those 50/50 boards.

Be a: Decent defender......potent cleanup/rebounder....and solid back-to-basket scorer/with those mid-range "sweet spots". I think those are fair hopes....and if he could more or less hit those...I think your looking at a Marc-Gasol type guy.

He's got a ways to go....but I'm really excited to see what he eventually becomes.

[Slava]

Drummond isn't even a top 15 center and Towns is better than anyone on that list other than Cousins, Gasol and Gobert.

[danfantastk32]

Drummond isn't even a top 15 center and Towns is better than anyone on that list other than Cousins, Gasol and Gobert.

Yeah....it was a "looking ahead to the 2016-17 season" list. Towns was a rookie. Not to mention....you grab 10 websites...get 10 different lists. I was just throwing out the concept that I think Zubac has definite chance to hit top-10 before too long, and I don't think top-5 is "pie in the sky" either. (a couple years further along..of course)

Nobody is gonna hand it to him...he needs to remember that, and keep working.

[feynman]

Zubac had a great game yesterday in a friendly match against Bosnia and Herzegovina:
http://www.fibalivestats.com/u/HKS/886086/bs.html

[stan francisco]

If Zubac could next season translate the stats from that game (28 points at 84 FG% and 12RPG with 2BLK, drawing 6FPG), into an NBA 12PPG, 6RPG, 60%FG, 1BLK in 18 minutes, he’ll either be worth keeping or at the very least be a very tradeable C asset in a Deng-Dump-Deal for an established C. Due to his young age GMs will deem him a potential 20-10 C with range given starter’s minutes.

I think he will. If he does, we struck gold indeed with another low pick. Plus, he’s a comedic genius! Love this guy.