The LA Clippers’ big man, Ivica Zubac, has reportedly shown interest in learning the sky-hook from none other than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar himself.
Ivica Zubac still needs a lot of growth in his game and he may just be getting it. The legend himself, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, said that the LA Clippers’ big man is the only player who seems serious about learning his fabled sky-hook.
Kareem appeared on Alex Kennedy’s podcast over the weekend. He seemed surprised that only Zubac had reached out to learn the shot.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar said only one player has expressed interest in learning about the sky-hook: Ivica Zubac.
— Alex Kennedy (@AlexKennedyNBA) February 17, 2019
Kareem is surprised more players aren't using the move since it's a high-percentage shot that can create and-ones (if done right). Full podcast: https://t.co/cvMWDMVIZL
It’s almost hard to believe that such a seemingly unblockable shot isn’t wanted by a majority of players, but it does follow league trends. With the three ball becoming so prominent, players seem to be playing in the post less and less. Even what would be traditional big men, like Joel Embiid and Nikola Jokic, are stepping out beyond the arc.
Zubac does not yet have that as part of his arsenal yet. In fact, he has only attempted 4 shots from deep in his entire three years in the NBA (He didn’t convert on any). Therefore, learning the sky-hook seems like a worthwhile investment for the young player.
In the hands of the seven-footer, players would have a difficult time defending Zubac in the post. That isn’t to say he would become an elite offensive player, but adding a new wrinkle to his game this summer at the age of 22 years old would go a long way.
Zubac is having the best year of his career, putting up 10.3 points per game on 52.6% shooting, while also pulling down 5.7 boards and swatting 1.3 shots per game.
He will be entering restricted free agency this summer and while the Clippers may look to bring him back, it will heavily depend on what type of contract he is looking for. The team won’t be willing to sacrifice a lot of their cap space as they try to court possibly to max contract level players, so a big offer from an another team could lead to the sides parting ways.
There may not be a league-wide interest in learning the sky-hook, but Zubac picking it up from the master of the move himself would be huge for the big man’s growth.