By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net
After being sidelined since the February trade deadline, Croatian center Ivica Zubac finally made his debut for the Indiana Pacers, appearing in both ends of a back-to-back following a five-week recovery from an ankle injury.
Despite joining a team currently on a 12-game losing streak in the 2025-26 NBA Regular Season and officially eliminated from playoff contention, Zubac expressed excitement about his new environment. “Watching the team from the sidelines, it looked like it was fun,” he said in a postgame press conference after a meeting with the New York Knicks in Gainbridge Fieldhouse on Friday. “Just being on the court with them, it was really fun. Everyone’s aggressive to score every possession. Everyone gets the chance to touch the ball. There’s a lot of movement.”
The transition hasn’t been without its challenges, particularly regarding the layoff. “I didn’t get a chance to play right away. It was like five weeks or something like that,” he noted. “I just wanted to get that first one out of the way to just see how it feels to wear this jersey and play with these guys.”
Head coach Rick Carlisle praised the veteran’s immediate impact, specifically describing his screens as bone-crushing. Zubac, now in his tenth NBA season, took the compliment in stride: “I felt like I was always good with screens, understanding the angles and what the guys like.”
However, the 28-year-old admitted his conditioning is still catching up to Indiana’s high-octane system. “Still not 100%. No matter how much work you do behind the scenes, that game shape is different,” Zubac explained. “The way this team plays, with a lot of pace, it’s definitely something I got to work on.”
Summarizing the acquisition of a new starting center, Carlisle was clear on Zubac’s value: “He’s the kind of veteran guy you want to bring on board.”
Zubac tallied 9.5 points and 7.0 rebounds in his first two games with the Pacers.