Ivica Zubac: ‘It looked like it was fun’

Zubac makes his Pacers debut after a long layoff

Ivica Zubac finally took the court for the Indiana Pacers after being sidelined since the February trade and dealing with an ankle injury. After about five weeks of recovery, he played in both games of a back-to-back, marking his first appearances in a Pacers uniform.

He said that watching the team from the bench made it seem like everyone was having a good time, and that feeling carried over once he stepped onto the floor: “It looked like it was fun. Just being on the court with them, it was really fun.” Zubac pointed out the team’s movement and willingness to share the ball as things that stood out right away.

Impact, coach praise and what’s next

The Pacers have been in a rough patch, enduring a long losing streak and already out of playoff contention this season. Despite the team’s struggles, Zubac has provided a physical presence right away — something head coach Rick Carlisle noted, praising his tough, effective screening, even calling some of them “bone-crushing.”

Zubac admitted he still needs to get into better game shape after the layoff. He said the rhythm of actual games is different from workouts and that Indiana’s up-tempo style will require extra conditioning work. In the most recent matchup against the New York Knicks, Zubac posted 11 points and eight rebounds, though the Pacers fell short. He also appeared in the game against the Phoenix Suns during the two-game stretch.

Overall, Zubac sounded upbeat about the fit and the locker-room vibe, and he’ll be focusing on building his endurance to better match the team’s pace in the weeks ahead.