D-Fenders

Joey Ramirez

Four months ago, David Nwaba entered the Lakers' practice facility for a D-League tryout as one of a gym-full of local players looking for an opportunity.

Now, after a successful rookie season with the Los Angeles D-Fenders, he is a Los Angeles Laker, having been called up Tuesday on a 10-day contract.

A Defensive Player of the Year candidate for the D-Fenders, the 6-foot-4, 210-pound wing has built his reputation on that side of the ball.

In fact, it even provided the D-Fenders' last win on Friday when he forced a turnover with 4.2 seconds left to cap a night in which he collected 20 points, seven rebounds, two steals and three blocks.

“I love his defense,” Lakers coach Luke Walton said at Tuesday's shootaround. “As we continue to try to be a more defensive-oriented team, as far as making growth, I think it’s important that we get defensive-minded people around here.

"Going to D-League games and watching him on tape, I think he’s the type of guy that can really do that and help us build an identity that we want to play defense.”

Nwaba — whose only prior interaction with Walton was when the head coach complimented his defense — knows that the Lakers are interested in him because of that facet to his game.

But Walton said that the team began keeping an eye on him two months ago, which is when he really started to shine offensively.

Though Nwaba won't provide much in terms of outside shooting, his ability to dive to the rim and throw down a few highlight slams has shone through in the D-League, where he is averaging 13.9 points, 7.0 rebounds, 1.4 steals and 1.2 blocks.

He has been extremely efficient with his attempts, ranking fourth in the league in field goal percentage (64.3) and second in turnover percentage (26 turnovers in 38 games). And the D-Fenders' offense simply hits another level with him on the floor, as Nwaba sports the D-League's highest offensive rating (135.9 points per 100 possessions).

He became a much bigger part of the offense this month, averaging 21.1 points in February while still shooting a ridiculous 65.6 percent from the field.

Now the the first Cal Poly San Luis Obispo product in NBA history, Nwaba didn't think that his journey to the NBA would happen so soon.

In fact, when D-Fenders coach Coby Karl asked him to come by the Lakers' offices on Monday, he thought it was because Karl wanted him to attend a community event.

“I actually thought he wanted me to work this Boys and Girls (Club) clinic,” Nwaba said, laughing.

Instead, the Lakers' front office was waiting for the Los Angeles native to accept his spot on the roster.

“It’s pretty crazy,” Nwaba said. “Just growing up a Lakers fan and dreaming of this day. It finally happened.”

latest-laker-david-nwaba

Latest Laker: David Nwaba

By the end of an exhausting Saturday, Ivica Zubac was able to head home with a smile on his face after treating two sets of fans to his Los Angeles hook shot tour.

The rookie Laker became the 10th player to ever play in both the NBA and D-League in the same day, facing the Clippers in Downtown L.A. at 12:30 p.m. before heading south to El Segundo to help the Los Angeles D-Fenders to victory at 6:30 p.m.

“I just wanna get home and sleep,” Zubac said after the D-Fenders’ overtime victory against Canton. “This is a really long day for me, but if it were easy everybody would do it. It’s hard, but I gotta do what I do and what they ask me to do.”

Zubac had plenty of time to mentally prepare for the doubleheader, as he was told about it before the Lakers’ game in San Antonio on Thursday.

But that can only go so far when tasked with playing in two professional basketball games hours apart.

The 19-year-old woke up at 7:30 in the morning in order to try to be the first at Staples Center two hours later. He got in a pregame workout before the Lakers and Clippers tipped off, then — in the final minutes of his team’s loss — checked in and drained his trademark hook shot.

It was Zubac’s only shot in three minutes played, but the beauty of the swooping hook likely pleased Bill Bertka — Zubac’s mentor and the legendary Lakers coach who trained centers like Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Shaquille O’Neal.

“He’s was probably watching the game somewhere and screaming as loud as he can,” Zubac said. “Every time he screams I think he’s gonna have a stroke.”

Zubac — who also made a series of hooks for the D-Fenders — had to gather himself at the thought of his 89-year-old coach’s antics before continuing.

“Every time I hit the skyhook, even in practice, he screams,” Zubac said. “Everybody can hear him. It can be scary.”

After the Clippers game, he went home to eat but there was no time for a pregame nap or an extended chat with D-Fenders head coach Coby Karl, who was one of the nine before Zubac to play in both leagues in one day.

“Your adrenaline is so high that it really doesn’t affect you,” Karl said. “Competition is what we live for as players.”

It certainly looked that way for Zubac, who excelled on both sides of the ball to finish the night with 20 points and 10 rebounds.

He was efficient — shooting 8-of-10 from the field and 4-of-4 on free throws — while also clutch — grabbing an offensive rebound in the final minute and putting it in himself to tie the game at 111 and help force overtime.

“I think this was my best game for the D-Fenders,” Zubac said. “I was much better on the defensive end, guarding pick-and-rolls and everything.”

Karl was pleased with the entirety of Zubac’s performance and highlighted how he operated out of pick-and-rolls on offense, using soft hands and touch while finishing at the rim.

But, as Karl has pointed out throughout Zubac’s experience in the D-League, his development is more about the strides he can make defensively.

“There isn’t much I can’t do on offense,” Zubac said. “That’s the better part of my game. My offensive game was never the problem for me. Just defensive — and every day I’m working on improving my defense.”

And the Croatia native’s work hasn’t gone unnoticed by his D-League coach, who was happy with how he overcame the day’s fatigue.

“He said he was a little tired when he got here, but he played great,” D-Fenders head coach Coby Karl said. “He’s shown consistent improvement and I think we saw that tonight. He really helped us win this game tonight.”

As Zubac left the Lakers’ practice facility after his double session, a few of his D-League teammates shouted “Zuuuu!” on their way out.

For a team full of guys putting in their own work toward the NBA dream, they recognized how much it took for Zubac to get through that day with those results.

“It has to be a whirlwind for him, driving from Staples Center to back here to play with us,” said Vander Blue, who scored 40 points and the overtime game-winner. “Playing games at Staples, practicing with us, going back there — he’s showing unbelievable character and professionalism.

“The ceiling is still through the roof with him. I respect his game and his hustle.”

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Zubac Plays for Both Lakers and D-Fenders In Whirlwind Day

lalewells

EL SEGUNDO – Ivica Zubac se convirtió el sábado en el décimo jugador en la historia en disputar partidos el mismo día en la NBA y la D-League.

El pivot croata disputó tres minutos en la derrota de los Lakers ante Clippers por la tarde, finalizando con dos puntos producto de un doble en el minuto final de juego.

El europeo definió con un sutil gancho, jugada que intenta emular de Kareem Abdul-Jabbar y que practica a menudo en los entrenamientos junto al legendario entrenador Bill Bertka.

Por la noche, ya en el Toyota Sports Center de El Segundo, Zubac brilló en el triunfo de los L.A. D-Fenders, cerrando la jornada con un nuevo doble-doble, producto de 20 puntos y 10 rebotes.

El pivot promedia 15.6 puntos y 9.7 rebotes en la D-League en 13 juegos de acción esta temporada.

Entre los otros jugadores en tener el mismo honor se encuentran Coby Karl (coincidentemente entrenador en jefe de los D-Fenders) y Jordan Farmar, quien en 2007 se convirtió en el primer jugador en la historia en completar la doble tanda, también con las camisetas de Lakers y D-Fenders.

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Zubac hace historia con jornada doble NBA/D-League

Most of the players in the D-League are more experienced than 19-year-old Ivica Zubac, but few have the kind of longterm potential that the Lakers saw in the 7-foot-1 big man when they drafted him from the Serbian league just six months ago.

The Zubac project is clearly one that won’t be completed overnight. He has played in only five games with the Lakers thus far, as the team has instead placed a sizable part of development into the hands of Coby Karl and the Los Angeles D-Fenders.

The Lakers and D-Fenders have perhaps the closest relationship between any parent and D-League team. With the D-Fenders playing home games at the Lakers' practice facility, it eases the transition for players like Jordan Clarkson and Tarik Black, who have suited up for the D-Fenders over recent years.

Plus it allows the likes of general manager Mitch Kupchak and head coach Luke Walton to attend games and keep an eye on Zubac, while teammates such as D'Angelo Russell and Larry Nance Jr. have shown up to support.

As head coach of the Lakers’ D-League club, Karl — a former teammate of Walton’s — sees Zubac as the type of offensive threat that is rare in this league.

He already has the frame to bully defenders down low, while simultaneously having the capability to stretch the floor with his sweet shooting.

“We’re never going to worry about Zu offensively,” Karl said. “It’s gonna be his defense that’s gonna determine how great he wants to be.”

Indeed, Zubac — who is currently with the Lakers on their seven-game road trip — hasn’t seen too much trouble on that end when given the rein to go to work.

He’s averaging 16.8 points and 9.4 rebounds while shooting 58.3 percent from the field in eight games with the D-Fenders.

But the Croatian native strives for more, even in the D-League.

After scoring 18 points with a personal-best 16-rebounds on Dec. 10, Zubac was more frustrated with his 8-of-17 clip from the field rather than satisfied with strong numbers in a win.

“It’s unusual to (shoot) below 50 percent to me, so I could get that better,” Zubac said. “I could have 25 rebounds every time I boxed out like I should.”

It’s been an unusual transition for Zubac, who has shuffled between the Lakers and D-Fenders over the past month.

So used to having to battle with the likes of Timofey Mozgov and Tarik Black in practice, he often has found himself in foul trouble due to the difference in physicality between the NBA and D-League, already fouling out of two games.

And while he also played through a sore ankle for a portion of his D-League stint, Zubac’s skills have nonetheless left a mark on his teammates.

“Big Zu, man,” said Vander Blue, who was called up to the Lakers in 2015. “He helps us so much. He’s a rim protector, he has an unstoppable hook shot. … When he gets his feet in the paint, gets set and gets that running hook left and right, it’s pretty much going in.”

That hook shot has been a source of joy for Zubac in the D-League.

When first sent down, he was ecstatic to learn that he would be wearing No. 33 — the same as legendary Laker Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, whose patented skyhook Zubac is intent on using.

Zubac has already drained a few buckets with his hook as a D-Fender, and he is just as excited to show off the range on his jumper, having shot 3-of-8 on 3-pointers.

“I’m getting to know how it is to be a rookie in the NBA,” Zubac said. “It’s hard to get chances. You’ve got to really work hard for everything and gotta just be ready and wait for your opportunity because you never know when it’s gonna come.”

And while the success of his sweeping hooks and long-range shooting bode well for his future in the NBA, Zubac has also shown that — for the time being — there is always plenty to be gained from a 7-foo1, 240-pound frame.

“I feel like a lot of people forget the fact that he’s 19 years old,” said teammate Justin Harper, who earned a call-up to the Pistons last year. “This is why this is called the Developmental League. He’s made great steps in just the few short games we’ve had him here.

“When he’s aggressive in the post, there’s really nothing anybody can do with him.”

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Zubac Gains Experience From Time With D-Fenders

admin

EL SEGUNDO – Los Lakwrs han asignado al centro Ivica Zubac a los Los Angeles D-Fenders, según se anunció hoy.

Zubac fue seleccionado por los Lakers en la posición No. 32 del Draft 2016 de la NBA y ha participado en tres juegos con el equipo esta temporada. 

Se espera que el croata esté en uniforme cuando los D-Fenders reciban a Rio Gran Valley Vipers a las 7:30 p.m. el jueves 17 de noviembre en el Toyota Sports Center. 

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Lakers asignan a Ivica Zubac a los L.A. D-Fenders

EL SEGUNDO – Los Los Angeles D-Fenders han nombrado a Coby Karl como entrenador, según anunciaron hoy el Presidente/CEO Joey Buss y el gerente general Nick Mazzella. Karl reemplazará a Casey Owens, quien asumirá como entrenador asistente y scout avanzado en el cuerpo técnico de los Lakers.

Karl regresa a la organización de los D-Fenders tras disputar 17 partidos con el equipo durante la temporada 2007-08, asignado por los Lakers. El 19 de febrero de 2008, Karl se convirtió en el segundo jugador de la historia de la NBA D-League en jugar un partido de NBDLA y otro de NBA el mismo día, después de que lo hiciera Jordan Farmar. Como jugador, Karl vio acción con Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers y Golden State Warriors de la NBA, además de los D-Fenders, los Reno Bighorns, y Idaho Stampede de la NBADL. Él recientemente fue parte del cuerpo técnico de los Westchester Knicks durante la temporada 2015-16 al concluir su carrera como jugador.

“Estamos emocionados de recibir de vuelta a Coby a la familia de los D-Fenders como nuestro nuevo entrenador”, dijo Buss. “Su extensiva experiencia tanto como jugador como entrenando en esta liga es algo que estamos felices de traer a la organización al intentar construir encima de una temporada exitosa”.

“Es un honor volver a la organización de los Lakers, el equipo que me dio mi primer trabajo y me permitió cumplir el sueño de jugar en la NBA”, dijo Karl. “Mi meta de ahora en adelante es fomentar un ambiente y una cultura que le permita a nuestros jugadores y entrenadores lograr sus sueños. Nuestro camino se enfocará en la excelencia, tanto como individuos que como miembros de la organización de Los Angeles D-Fenders”.

Karl, el hijo del veterano entrenador NBA George Karl, comenzó su carrera como entrenador la temporada pasada como asistente con la filial de los Knicks. En Nueva York, él ayudó a los Knicks a conseguir el primer boleto de su historia a la postemporada, ya que Westchester mejoró de una marca de 10-40 en 2014-15 a 28-22 en la campaña 2015-16.

Además de su experiencia doméstica, Karl también conoce el juego internacional, habiendo jugado profesionalmente en España, Italia, y Alemania.

“Influenciado por algunos de los mejores entrenadores de todos los tiempos y habiendo jugado en la NBA, la NBA D-League, y profesionalmente en el exterior, Coby tiene una mente única para el baloncesto y podrá relacionarse con los jugadores que están tratando de dar el paso hacia la NBA”, dijo Mazzella. “Sentimos que Coby tiene un futuro brillante como entrenador, y estamos confiados en su habilidad para crear una cultura positiva para desarrollar a jugadores en un ambiente ganador”.

Oriundo de Great Falls, Montana, Karl fue a Homestead High School en Mequon, Wisconsin, antes de graduarse de Boise State University con una licenciatura en Comunicaciones. El escolta de 6’5 de estatura lideró a los Broncos en puntos (17.2) y asistencias (4.0) en su tercer año, y luego promedió 14.8 puntos y 4.0 asistencias en su última temporada, camino a ser elegido al Primer Equipo de la WAC en 2007.

Tras no ser escogido en el Draft de 2007, Karl fue invitado a participar en el campamento de entrenamientos con los Lakers, quedando en la nómina del Día Inaugural como agente libre. Karl luego jugaría profesionalmente durante ocho temporadas antes de retirarse en 2015.

D‑Fenders

Latest Laker: David Nwaba

Zubac Plays for Both Lakers and D-Fenders In Whirlwind Day

Zubac hace historia con jornada doble NBA/D-League

Zubac Gains Experience From Time With D-Fenders

Lakers asignan a Ivica Zubac a los L.A. D-Fenders

Los L.A. D-Fenders contratan a Coby Karl como entrenador