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Mario Hezonja has returned to the NBA, signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers after a six-year absence. The 31-year-old Croatian forward, who last played in the league in 2020, is adjusting to the NBA game once again. In Cleveland's second preseason game, a 119-105 victory over the Orlando Magic on Sunday, Oct. 11, at Rocket Arena, Hezonja contributed 13 points on 5-of-9 shooting, including 2-of-4 from beyond the arc. He also grabbed five rebounds (two offensive), dished out two assists, recorded two steals, and blocked two shots in 17 minutes off the bench, finishing with a game-high plus-minus of plus-15.
The Cavaliers and Magic will meet again in Cleveland's preseason finale at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 13, in Orlando.
Hezonja's teammates have taken notice of his abilities. "He's stronger than I thought, bigger than I thought and he's got all-around game," said Cavs wing Jaylon Tyson. "He's got dribble, pass, shoot, rebound, and he's got defense, too. So, he's got a little bit of everything. I think he's going to help our team a lot."
Hezonja spent the past six seasons playing in Europe after his NBA career stalled with the Magic, New York Knicks, and Portland Trail Blazers. "He vanished off the face of the earth for six years," Cavs center Jarrett Allen joked.
A native of Croatia, Hezonja described himself as "looking like a child" when he entered the NBA as the fifth overall pick of the Magic in 2015. He pointed out that he is now 6-foot-9 and 260 pounds, compared to 6-foot-6 and 190 pounds back then. "He's like a diesel train getting downhill," Cavs coach Kenny Atkinson said.
During his time overseas, Hezonja played in Greece, Russia, and Spain, most recently with Real Madrid during the 2025-26 season. He became a star and helped Real Madrid win back-to-back Liga ACB championships in 2024 and 2025. He was named the 2025-26 Liga ACB Most Valuable Player.
With the Cavs, Hezonja's role is still being defined. Atkinson said he and Hezonja are working toward "defining here's how you're going to fit with this team." Although Hezonja is a wing, he may play power forward. He also might see time at point guard, a position Atkinson saw him handle briefly overseas. Atkinson expressed a desire to utilize Hezonja's post-up game and encourage him to crash the offensive glass more.
"Whatever they need, literally," Hezonja said. "I am way too experienced and skilled and versatile that I don't need direct directions. I can really pick up what is necessary. Kenny's a very intelligent coach as well. He was all over the world. He was playing and coaching in Europe, so he understands what he has, what he sees and what he wants. I pick up off of that. He doesn't even need to sometimes tell me. Literally, I think we never even spoke about this, honestly. I'm picking [up] on his energy and what he says to other guys. I try to do the same."
Although Hezonja produced a game-clinching blocked shot against LeBron James in 2019, his list of NBA highlights is not extensive. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 1.3 assists in 18.5 minutes over his first five seasons. This preseason, he is getting his first taste of the NBA since 2020. Yet the Cavs are optimistic that this version of Hezonja can become a notable contributor off their bench. They signed him to a one-year, $2.8 million contract in late July, and his teammates have been impressed.
With 3:24 left in the first quarter against the Magic, Hezonja threw down a fast-break dunk on a nifty bounce pass from Cavs All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell. A few seconds earlier, Hezonja had blocked a shot near the rim by Magic forward Jamal Cain. "I think he weighs more than me," Allen said of Hezonja. "It's incredible how strong he is, how much he can push around other people on the court, how much he can pass the ball and do all that. But especially on defense, him and [new Cavs wing] Peyton [Watson] are going to be crucial."
An 11-time All-Star guard, Harden said he thinks Hezonja is more confident now than he was as a young player getting his feet wet in the NBA. Hezonja mentioned he is leaning on Harden for assistance while he becomes acclimated to the Cavs. "He had to come overseas and find himself, and I think who he is now as a player fits what the NBA is now," Harden said. "[He's] a big, strong guard who can get downhill, who can shoot it, who can pass it, who's very versatile."
Still, Hezonja is transparent about the challenge he faces while transitioning from Europe to the Cavs. He has had several conversations about his journey with Tyson. They are neighbors in Cleveland's locker room, and Tyson said Hezonja's personality has meshed well with the Cavs. As for how Hezonja has been doing on the court, he explained he's readjusting to the length and size of the opponents he is encountering in the NBA. Atkinson said the speed of the game and tactics are different, too.
Despite the hurdles awaiting Hezonja, he is hungry to provide the Cavs with what they seek. "I don't need to prove anything," he said. "I just need to give. This is my mentality. I think everybody knows what it is. I'm not even coming here with my mentality of who I am back in Europe and what I mean to that continent. The mentality is giving, giving to this team, giving to this coach, giving to my teammates, just giving back what they invested in me."
Originally reported by yahoo.