Mario Hezonja’s most likely destination seems to be Orlando
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With the NBA draft approaching, FantasyPros will be rolling out draft profiles for some of the big name prospects available. We will be breaking down their talents while examining the likely landing spots and expectations for their future in the NBA and fantasy. Without further ado, here is our look at Mario Hezonja.
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Originally from Croatia, Hezonja has played three seasons for the highly regarded FC Barcelona of the Liga ACB and Euroleague, the top leagues in all of Europe. He also represented Croatia on their national team at the 2011 and 2012 FIBA Under-16 Championship and the 2014 FIBA World Cup.
In 2013-14, Hezonja only saw the floor in garbage time as he averaged a meager 9.7 minutes per game over 34 games for FC Barcelona. The following season could be considered a breakout year for the 20-year-old, as he managed to find himself in regular rotation with the first team. He put up 13.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and 2.5 three-pointers per 36 minutes of action.
A 6’8″ shooting guard, Hezonja has the size to play small forward as well. He possesses exceptional athleticism with superior jumping ability. His solid frame and decent wingspan will transition well into the NBA. The Croatian product is one of the best athletes to come out of Europe in a long time.
Hezonja displays one of the purest shooting strokes in the draft. It is fluid and effortless regardless of whether he is spotting up or coming off a screen. He also shows extreme confidence in his long-range shooting ability since more than half of his career field goal attempts came from behind the three-point line. Even with a tendency to hang around the perimeter, Hezonja is no slouch when he decides to put the ball on the floor and attack. If the defense decides to close out aggressively, he can use a quick first step to explode past the defender and get to the rim.
Most of the knocks on Hezonja’s game come from his overwhelming confidence in his own game. Believing he can make almost any shot, the 20-year-old has the tendency to take tough contested shots instead of finding the open man or creating contact and going to the foul line. Known for having a fiery personality (some would call him cocky), Hezonja has also gotten the reputation of being a hot-head. An intense player, he becomes demonstrative and visibly upset with himself and his teammates when playing poorly. His poor attitude leads to inconsistent play, especially on defense.
Owning one of the best jump shots in the draft, Hezonja will be a lottery pick with a good chance of going in the top 10 or even higher. The first plausible destination would be Orlando at No. 5, especially with small forward Tobias Harris possibly leaving as a restricted free agent. Any of the next three teams, Sacramento, Denver and Detroit, could use Hezonja’s positional flexibility and scoring touch.
Kyle Korver and J.J Redick are players with similar repertoires who found themselves ranked near the top 50 in fantasy in 2015. While it is doubtful he reaches those heights as a rookie, I would not sleep on Herzonja in fantasy this year. If he finds a way to keep a level head and earns 25+ minutes per game, then 10.5 points, 3.0 rebounds and 2.0 three-pointers a game with above average percentages is a reliable projection. He can fill the role of a three-point specialist on your squad while holding tremendous potential for much more.
Dale Redman is a correspondent at FantasyPros. To read more from Dale, check out his archive and follow him @fantasytool.
