Mario Hezonja reportedly is leaning toward sitting out this summer’s EuroBasket tournament after two straight summers playing for Croatia.
Many members of the Orlando Magic are already making some plans for their summer. Not that they are not focused on the remaining six or seven games this season or their jobs trying to win games, but there are still things to do and preparations to make.
Mario Hezonja was set to have another busy summer with his national team.
Those plans appear to be put on hold. Hezonja may not suit up for Croatia for a third straight summer at this year’s EuroBasket competition.
Hezonja reportedly told Turkish Web site Trendbasket (h/t Eurohoops.net) he is not planning to play for Croatia this summer, choosing instead to focus on preparing for a critical third season in the NBA with the Magic.
He left the door slightly open, but it appears his plans for now are not to play:
"“I don’t think so,” Hezonja told Trendbasket. “I’ll have a long summer with Orlando — workouts and everything. I’m not going to discuss about that right now, but I don’t believe it will happen.”"
When FIBA announced the Eurobasket draw back in November, I jokingly asked Hezonja if he had started talking trash with teammate Nikola Vucevic, whose Montenegro team was drawn into the same opening round group. Hezonja gave kind of a sober answer and seemed to say he was unsure if he would play.
At the time, I took it as the season had just started and Hezonja was focused on his season with the Magic. There was still a long way to go back then. It seemed far away for him. But there was not the usual enthusiasm you see from players preparing to play for their national team in a major tournament.
Hezonja certainly seems to be trying to keep his focus on the rest of this season. A final decision on his summer basketball plans may not come until later on.
Last summer was an especially busy one for Hezonja.
He played for Croatia in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in July, keeping him from playing for the Magic in the Orlando Summer League. With Croatia qualifying, he played in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Hezonja came off the bench for Croatia, averaging 9.0 points per game and shooting a 64.9 percent effective field goal percentage. Croatia largely used Hezonja as a spot-up shooter off the bench, he rarely played on the ball and his role was to hit open 3-pointers when the ball swung to him.
It was a fine role for his skills on that team. But it has not translated to the NBA.
Hezonja has struggled this year in almost every facet, averaging 4.6 points per game on a 41.0 percent effective field goal percentage. Hezonja has gone in and out of the rotation, settling in at the end of the year by playing power forward, of all things.
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Getting a summer free of the developmental constraints of preparing for meaningful games could go a long way toward Hezonja regaining his career trajectory — not that anyone should be discouraged from playing for their national team.
There is, of course, time for Hezonja to change his mind. EuroBasket does not take place until Aug. 31, very late in the summer. So Hezonja could get his development work in before reporting. But that choice is obviously up to Hezonja on what he will do. It seems for n
It seems, for now, Hezonja is leaning toward sitting out this tournament to focus on developing his own game.
Nikola Vucevic is expected to participate in EuroBasket after leading Montenegro into the tournament during qualification last summer. Montenegro has not participated in EuroBasket since 2013. So this is a monumental breakthrough for the nation. And Vucevic is a big part of the team as its starting center.
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Montenegro tips off its first game Sept. 1.