Ivica Zubac Quotes

Ivica Zubac

Profession : Basketball Player

Birth : March 18, 1997

I had to move out when I was 14 and live by myself in the capital of Croatia. That's when it got a little serious. From there, I played on the Croatian national team.

Ivica Zubac

I live in the part of Bosnia-Herzegovina where we are the only Croatians, and we are the proudest in the world.

Ivica Zubac

I first started playing when we moved from my first house to a house that had a hoop out in front. Every day, I was in front of the basket shooting balls. The basket was regular height, and I was about 5 years old.

Ivica Zubac

You start learning English in fifth grade. I was 12. But even before then I was listening to American music. My neighbor was a really big hip-hop fan, so he taught me everything around hip-hop.

Ivica Zubac

It was always my dream to play in the NBA, especially for the Lakers because they're the greatest franchise ever.

Ivica Zubac

It was even hard to imagine I was going to play in the NBA, because so many guys playing in Europe are not even getting to the Euroleague and everything. But everybody wants to play in the NBA. So when draft night came, it was a dream come true.

Ivica Zubac

I always was a fan of the Lakers.

Ivica Zubac

In Europe, I was limited. I didn't have minutes and when I had minutes, it was just, 'Do this. Do this. You gotta listen to the coach.'

Ivica Zubac

It's good to have someone who speaks your own language just to get your mind off of basketball.

Ivica Zubac

I gotta defend, I gotta protect the rim, I gotta rebound, I gotta set good picks for the guys, finish on offense, and I think that is not going to change much.

Ivica Zubac

But every time I make a mistake, I put some pressure on myself. That's not really good. I'm trying not to do that.

Ivica Zubac

I always have confidence in myself even though everyone doubted me.

Ivica Zubac

I knew I just gotta wait for my chances in the game and I'm gonna prove what I am able to do when I get on the floor.

Ivica Zubac

My first year everyone loved me. I was not getting that kind of love in my second year.

Ivica Zubac

I was really mad until the 23rd pick and I wasn't selected and my agent told me, 'If nobody selects you, you're going to the Lakers.' So I was hoping to not go in the first round of the draft.

Ivica Zubac

If I continue to work hard, I can make it to the NBA.

Ivica Zubac

I got to prepare more for the games. I got to be ready for better players and starting lineups, just get a bit more focused, more prepared and got to be in better shape.

Ivica Zubac

We're going to work hard on my body, put on some muscles. That's going to help me a lot to run faster, to move quicker, to jump higher.

Ivica Zubac

I think that's the only way I can improve: to work hard, to listen to my coaches. Not to question anything.

Ivica Zubac

I want to get stronger. I want to get slimmer. I'm already slimmer, but I want to get some muscles so I can fight all these guys in the post.

Ivica Zubac