Back in 2015, Mario Hezonja was picked 5th in the Draft by the Orlando Magic. 7 years later, he now finds himself out of the league completely and with no desire to return.
In a chat with Eurohoops, the Croatian native went off on the league and explained why he has a problem with the way they run things.
“No,” he said on seeking a potential return to the NBA, “There was a lot I didn’t like there.”
Only 20, from Catalonia giant FC Barcelona to Orlando, he moved his talents to the NBA. “I don’t think it was too early,” he noted.
“I am not going to return to the NBA,” he repeated, “I didn’t get the respect I deserved. Also, in my opinion, the NBA is more a show than the game itself.”
While he may be critical of his time in the NBA, does credit his experience in the league for teaching him a thing or two about conditioning and how to maximize his game.
The Croatian international instead intends to keep practicing and preparing for the next season in the USA during the summer. His experience wasn’t all that bad, he pointed out.
“I learned to take better care of my body. I created myself as a player,” he added, “Everything that happened led me to become who I am today.”
Hezonja joined Greek powerhouse Panathinaikos late in the 2020-21 season and last summer moved to UNICS.
Hezonja, 27, never quite lived up to expectations. Over five seasons in the league, he averaged just 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game on 41.7% shooting.
After spending three years with the Magic, he signed a one-year deal with the Knicks before joining Portland for the 2019-20 campaign.
He has yet to play a game since that season ended, and it sounds like he won’t be coming back. Sometimes, the stage is just too big…
