Mario Hezonja’s NBA comeback is the kind of move that reminds you just how unforgiving this league really is.
The path back is rarely straight, and it’s definitely not guaranteed. A summer list posted on X counted 66 former NBA players who headed to Europe this offseason, a blunt snapshot of how many careers drift away from the league after the first stop. Hezonja is trying to buck that trend as he prepares for his second NBA tenure, seven years after his first run began and six years after he last played in the league in 2020.
That kind of return is not unheard of. Trey Lyles made it back after just one year abroad.
Anthony Parker spent six years in Israel after a disappointing first NBA stint and later played three seasons with the Cavs. PJ Tucker was out for five years.
Guerschon Yabusele missed five years. Sergio Rodriguez also came back after time away, though his second go-around lasted only one season.
There’s no fixed formula for making it stick the second time around.
Hezonja’s own case comes with some optimism, though. He’s a former lottery pick who spent six seasons in Europe, and now he’s back on a one-year deal with the Cavaliers. Cleveland fans started buzzing as soon as his name surfaced publicly, and the reaction has only grown as he gets set to join a contending team.
Hezonja is aware of what didn’t work the first time, and this opportunity looks built around a clearer role. He’s expected to give Cleveland help off the bench, and the team liked enough of what it saw to bring him stateside. He’s spent years playing all over the world, and the message now is simple: get on the floor and win.
There’s also a practical opening for him right away. With Nae’Qwan Tomlin sidelined to start the season, Hezonja should have minutes every night. The setup gives him a real chance to settle in, stay confident, and play his game.
Hezonja already has the résumé of a player who’s done plenty outside the NBA. He was EuroLeague MVP two years ago, and now the challenge is to carry that form back into the association. Fans have already bought the jerseys, and #33 will be showing up in the stands.
“One more sleep.”
His return will come 2,242 days after his last NBA game.
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