Mario Hezonja plans to play in Olympic Qualifying Tournament

Mario Hezonja tells the Orlando Sentinel he intends to help Croatia qualify for the Olympics this summer, meaning he will not play in Summer League.

Mario Hezonja has had an interesting rookie year.

His minutes and his role have not been entirely consistent and he has not raced ahead like some of the players in his rookie class. It has been a slow development process for Hezonja. that was part of the Magic’s plan at the end of the day.

His 5.8 points per game and 51.1 percent effective field goal percentage do not completely describe the kind of year Hezonja had. At various times he showed tremendous vision with his passing, great athleticism in transition heading to the basket and a beautiful 3-point stroke. It has been all about building confidence and getting him to improve on some of his deficiencies — especially on defense and off the dribble.

Heoznja though has largely had a successful rookie year, despite his meager numbers.

This summer will prove to be an important one. There is probably no greater growth for a young player than between his rookie and sophomore year. Hezonja will have plenty of time to improve and develop his game.

But his summer is also getting increasingly busy too.

Magic fans hoping to see him in Summer League may be out of luck too. Hezonja’s development will occur largely outside the public’s eye.

Hezonja told Josh Robbins of the Orlando Sentinel he intends to play in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Croatia taking place in Italy from July 4-9.

"“I can’t say that it’s my dream, but it’s my goal,” Hezonja said. “I can’t think too much of it, because we’ve got to go there [to Italy] and do something.”"

If Hezonja intends to help his national team pursue its Olympic dreams, it does mean Hezonja would not play in Orlando’s Summer League. The Orlando Summer League is scheduled to take place July 2-8 at the Amway Center.

Last year, Hezonja’s Summer League was cut somewhat short too by his overseas travels. His season was completed shortly before the Draft for Barcelona and he had to travel to the United States and get settled just before playing in Summer League. The Magic brought him along slowly even then.

There are a few arguments for why Summer League might be better than the Olympics for Hezonja.

Summer League would get him more integrated playing a role within the Magic’s basic offense. It would also be an opportunity to dominate competition in the league, playing against other rookies and young players. It is a chance to gain confidence with his new set of skills in game situations.

But no one can fault a player for wanting to try to help his country reach the Olympics. Hezonja will have plenty of time to work on his individual game throughout the rest of the summer.

For Croatia, Hezonja is used largely how he is used in Orlando. He comes off the bench and is a spot-up shooter. That might change depending on who is available — the qualifying tournament happens so early in the summer, there are still free agents who are afraid to commit while determining their futures. Hezonja could see an expanded role, especially if he improves significantly in the early part of the summer.

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For the moment, Hezonja though will skip out Summer League and participate in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament for Croatia. That can still change as nothing is set in stone.