ORLANDO – Mario Hezonja was half a world away from his Croatian home and living out his life-long dream while competing in his first official NBA practice, but you would have never known any of it considering the way the 20-year-old rookie blended seamlessly with his new teammates on Saturday.
Hezonja, the No. 5 pick in last June’s NBA Draft, is hardly some wide-eyed rookie in awe of his surroundings because of his extensive background in professional basketball. Remarkably, he signed his first professional contract at the age of 11 and he moved away from home for good at 17 when he signed with Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona.