Ivica Zubac, who is coaching a basketball camp during a Basketball Without Borders event, talked about why its important for him to give back.
The Basketball Without Borders program is now back for its 22nd year. And the hope is that it will continue to pump out famous alumni like Joel Embiid, Lauri Markannan and Pascal Siakam.
When asked about the event, Zubac explained:
"It's been great. I like sharing my knowledge and experience with the young guys, especially guys coming from Europe kind of going through a similar path that I was going through. Just being around them, around their energy, it feels good. It's kind of a different than the NBA stuff. It's very fun and fulfilling coaching and getting my advice to these guys."
Zubac was born in Bosnia and Herzegovinia, and was surrounded by tough situations while growing up. Basketball provided him with a pathway out, and he began playing professionally in Croatia when he was just 16 years old.
The NBA soon set their sights on the Croatian big man and he was drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers in the second round of the 2016 draft. He was traded to the crosstown Clippers in 2019 and has been there ever since.
A reliable starter for the Clippers for several seasons, Zubac took his game up a notch in the last season. He averaged career highs in minutes with 32.8, points with 16.8, and rebounds with 12.6. He should continue to be a factor in the middle for Los Angeles.