Throughout Ivica Zubac's NBA career, he's never dealt with a long-term NBA injury - until now.
It was revealed by the LA Clippers this week that Ivica Zubac will be missing a minimum of one month due to a calf strain injury. After one month, he'll be re-evaluated.
Zubac would later conduct an exclusive interview with Tomer Azarly from Clutchpoints, where he would open up about the first major injury of his career.
“I felt some pain after the Memphis Grizzlies game [on Friday night], but it was not a lot,” Zubac told Azarly. “And then the next day I didn't feel anything. So, you know, nothing was out of character, nothing was different."
The most worrisome thing for Zubac was just how delayed the pain from the injury was. He legitimately believed he could suit up for the Minnesota Timberwolves game, and then suddenly a sharp pain arrived.
“I was just trying to get ready for the [Wolves] game and when I got out on the court for the pregame warmups, that's when I felt it, Zubac said to Azarly. "I started moving a little bit, I started feeling a sharp pain. I tried to [warm up]. Then we came out for the layup lines, and the medical staff came out with me to put me through some different motions and stuff to see if I can go and, you know, I tried it, but it didn't work. So that was a late scratch for the game and I thought I was good, you know, it's nothing major, but we did an MRI and here we are.”
This is the longest injury absence Zubac has ever had in his career, having played in 360 of 372 possible games with the LA Clippers. It's an injury he knows he'll have to deal with day by day, but fortunately, the Clippers have the center depth to give him the time he needs.
More must-reads: