Magic radio analyst Richie Adubato has a Croatian neighbor who gave him a language tip. After every Mario Hezonja 3-pointer, Adubato bellowed, “Gee La Vee, Mario!” on the air.
That’s a Croatian expression for “Bravo.’’ The phrase wasn’t uttered nearly enough during Hezonja’s failed three-year run in Orlando.
On July 1, the 6-foot-8 forward joined the Knicks on a one-year, $6.5 million deal. General manger Scott Perry, part of the Orlando front office that drafted him, is banking on an uptick from late December is no fluke.
Adubato, whose coaching background includes helming the Mavericks, the Magic and the WNBA’s Liberty and Mystics — and stints as an NBA assistant coach for five teams, including the Knicks (1982-1986) — can’t say for certain about Hezonja’s future, but he is a fan of his talent.