Episode Details

Zach LaVine’s rookie year was shaped by a brutal, unforgettable lesson from Nikola Pekovic — the NBA’s most physically imposing center. Drafted 19th, LaVine was thrown into the fire by teammates and coach Flip Saunders, who had Pekovic, weighing over 300 pounds, deliver a devastating pick that left him stunned. Even legends like Tim Duncan called him the heaviest player he’d ever faced, while Andre Drummond admitted he felt like a kid being pushed around. Though Pekovic’s career was tragically shortened by injuries, his sheer strength left an indelible mark on every player who crossed paths with him — including LaVine, whose leap couldn’t match the force of the man who taught him what real NBA toughness looked like.

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