One of the most regrettable moves of the Los Angeles Lakers’ recent past continues to reveal new layers. Y
ears after being traded away, Ivica Zubac has shared fresh insight into his early time with the franchise, and a surprising story involving Magic Johnson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar.
Zubac, now a key piece for the LA Clippers, was just 21 years old when the Lakers sent him across town in a 2019 trade for Mike Muscala.
At the time, Los Angeles was rebuilding, and Zubac had already shown flashes of becoming a reliable double-double center.
Instead, the Lakers moved on quickly – a decision that has aged poorly.
Zubac revealed that one of the greatest centers in NBA history had expressed genuine interest in helping him develop, only for the opportunity to quietly disappear.
“After a few workouts, he told me he wanted to mentor me and work for the Lakers,” Zubac said speaking recently on X&O’s CHAT. After that, he [Abdul-Jabbar] had a meeting with Magic, and I don’t know what happened there, but he never got a job with the Lakers,” Zubac said. “He wanted some kind of role with the team just to work with me and the big guys, but unfortunately that never happened. After a few games, he came to watch and Luke Walton drew up a play for me to shoot a baseline sky hook. I missed it and that was the end of them drawing plays for me.”
The revelation adds another frustrating chapter to Zubac’s Lakers tenure.
Johnson, who served as president of basketball operations before stepping down, oversaw several major moments in his brief tenure.
He played a role in bringing LeBron James to Los Angeles, but the Zubac situation continues to stand out as a costly misstep.
READ MORE: Jaylen Brown Calls Out Luka Doncic, Shai & More 1-On-1