Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac revealed that he had always dreamed of playing with a point guard like James Harden and shared his thoughts on his teammates campaigning for him to win Defensive Player of the Year.
Los Angeles Clippers center Ivica Zubac has emerged as one of the top centers in the league this season.
Cleveland Cavaliers
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Houston RocketsZubac's numbers have improved across the board — he's averaging 16.4 points, 12.5 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game — playing a key role in keeping the Clippers in contention for a top-six seed in the Western Conference.
He credits much of his growth to his teammates, particularly James Harden, whom he highlighted as having the biggest impact on his development.
"Everything, since he got here," Zubac told ESPN when asked what it means to play alongside Harden.
"I’ve been wanting to play with a point guard like that my whole life — a guy who is probably one of the best pick-and-roll players ever. It’s been great for me. He’s given me a lot of confidence — a lot of swag, as he says."
Zubac also shared his thoughts on his teammates campaigning for him to be this year’s Defensive Player of the Year. He said he's working hard to improve on that end of the floor each season and truly values the support from his team.
"Earlier in my career, a lot of people said I wasn’t a good defender — that I couldn’t defend. They called me out a lot, and I wanted to prove them wrong," Zubac said.
"It means a lot when you're recognized by your peers, by your teammates — the guys you go to war with on the court," he added.
