Mario Hezonja has attracted significant interest from NBA teams, with some of the franchises pursuing the Croatian star also reportedly in the mix for LeBron James.
Mario Hezonja might find himself playing alongside LeBron James in his bid to land an NBA comeback.
Mario Hezonja
Position SF
Age 31
Height 206 cm
Weight 110 kg
Birth place Dubrovnik, Croatia
According to NBA insider Marc Stein, the Croatian star has already drawn plenty of playing offers around the league.
As such, some teams who are pursuing Hezonja are also reportedly involved in the ongoing free agency sweepstakes for the four-time NBA MVP.
Mario Hezonja set for NBA comeback
Donatas Urbonas of BasketNews first reported that Mario Hezonja is aiming to make a return to the NBA. Per sources, the Croatian sensation is strongly exploring his NBA options ahead of a looming July 20 opt-out deadline in his contract with Real Madrid.
While Hezonja is under contract with Real Madrid through 2029, his deal contains a clause that would allow him to leave for the NBA.
As one of the best European players today, Hezonja has built a decorated career for himself. He first started his career for FC Barcelona before being drafted as the No. 5 overall pick of the 2015 NBA Draft, chosen by the Orlando Magic.
After spending three seasons with Orlando and one season each with the New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers, Hezonja returned to Europe, where he became a standout player for Panathinaikos, UNICS Kazan, and Real Madrid.
He eventually helped lead the Spanish powerhouse to the 2023 EuroLeague championship.
The 31-year-old averaged 17.5 points and 4.9 rebounds in 47.7% shooting for Real Madrid in the 2025-26 season across 31 appearances, clinching Liga ACB MVP honors.
[
Like what we are doing? You can express your gratitude here.](https://basketnews.com/plus?utm_source=basketnews_com&utm_medium=bn_plus&utm_id=UA-259273-31&utm_campaign=banners_free_content_for_not_members_bottom_5)
If you like our content, please and add us as your preferred source. It helps us a lot, and we are committed to delivering you the very latest basketball news.