Mario Hezonja hasn’t played an NBA game for the Cavaliers yet. But he’s already giving them something to like.
Hezonja erupted for 28 points as Croatia rolled to a 115-80 win over Latvia in a FIBA World Cup European qualifier Thursday in Zadar, Croatia.
Perhaps more impressively, the veteran forward needed just eight shots from the field to get there. He finished 8-of-8 on two-pointers and added seven assists and three rebounds.
So, yeah. Not a bad night at the office.
The performance is also worth noting in Cleveland, where Hezonja is attempting an NBA comeback after six seasons overseas. The Cavs signed the 31-year-old to a one-year, $2.8 million contract earlier this summer after he was named Liga ACB MVP with Real Madrid last season.
His contract isn’t guaranteed, though it becomes fully guaranteed if he remains on the roster beyond Nov. 15.
All indications have been that the Cavs expect him to stick. They lost Dean Wade in free agency and spent much of the offseason trying to add size and versatility on the wing. Hezonja, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, is supposed to help with that.
Granted, beating Latvia in August isn’t the same as beating the Knicks in May. Nobody needs to get carried away here.
But 28 points on eight made two-pointers, with seven assists, isn’t a bad way to remind everyone that you’re coming. The Cavs will gladly take it.
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