Real Madrid tabs Mario Hezonja

Mario Hezonja has signed a two-year deal with Real Madrid. The 27-year old Croatian forward (203 cm) comes from UNICS Kazan where he averaged 14.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg in the Euroleague last season.

He ranked eighth in the EuroLeague in both scoring and rebounding and was second in defensive boards (5.5 drpg.), only trailing Georgios Papagiannis of Panathinaikos OPAP Athens (6.0 drpg.).

He joined UNICS after finishing the 2020-21 campaign with Panathinaikos, where he averaged 14.4 points, 2.5 rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.6 steals in eight EuroLeague games. The 2020-21 season was the Croatian forward’s first back in Europe after spending the previous five seasons in the NBA with Orlando, New York and Portland.

Mario Hezonja started his career with Dubrovnik in his native Croatia before playing for KK Zagreb and helping the club win the 2011 Euroleague Basketball Adidas Next Generation Tournament title. He then joined FC Barcelona in 2012 and played three seasons there, including 38 games in the EuroLeague. Hezonja helped Barca win the 2014 Spanish League title. With Croatia, he won the gold medal at the FIBA U16 European Championship 2011 and bronze at the FIBA U17 Basketball World Cup 2012.