LAS VEGAS — The viewing party started at 4:30 a.m., an ungodly hour usually only reserved for extended stays here at the casinos and posh nightclubs. For Ivica Zubac’s friends and family members in his native Croatia, however, that marked the time his close ones would watch the Lakers’ 19-year-old rookie center.
There, Zubac provided the same kind of excitement generated when a gambler throws all of his chips in on the correct number at the roulette table. Zubac sparked several cheers from the partisan Lakers crowd for his timely blocks, promising post presence and infectious enthusiasm. He earned new nicknames, ranging from “ZUU,” “Big Z” or “ZU-BLOCK.