Knicks legend clowns Pacers’ Ivica Zubac for sitting out: ‘It’s called tanking, folks’

Fans of the Indiana Pacers will have to wait to see Ivica Zubac make his debut, as he sat out their game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday.

The Pacers acquired Zubac, along with Kobe Brown, at the trade deadline via a trade with the Los Angeles Clippers in exchange for Bennedict Mathurin, Isaiah Jackson, and three future draft picks.

Zubac will shore up Indiana’s thin frontline as soon as he returns to action, giving the team a legitimate presence in the paint and a double-double threat.

Knicks commentator Mike Breen heaped praise on the 28-year-old center during the broadcast, but NBA legend Walt Frazier could not help but clown the Pacers and Zubac for missing the game.

“It’s called tanking, folks,” said the Knicks analyst, eliciting a chuckle from Breen, as posted by BrickCenter on X.

Knicks announcer on Zubac not playing:

“It’s called tanking, folks.” pic.twitter.com/bE0LCeAhqB

— BrickCenter (@BrickCenter_) February 11, 2026

The Pacers entered the game against the Knicks with a four-game losing streak and a woeful 13-40 record, the second-worst in the league.

Indiana has been hampered by injuries all season, with Tyrese Haliburton and Obi Toppin still out, and Mathurin, Jackson, Andrew Nembhard, TJ McConnell, and Aaron Nesmith all missing time. On Monday, it was announced that Johnny Furphy is out for the season due to a torn ACL.

With the way things are going, the Pacers will end up in the lottery, giving them a good chance to get the No. 1 overall pick in next year’s draft, with AJ Dybantsa of BYU and Darryn Peterson of Kansas being tabbed as the top prospects.

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