29. Brooklyn Nets: Mario Hezonja, SG
Original Pick: Chris McCullough, PF
In the buildup to the 2015 NBA Draft, the hype surrounding Mario Hezonja started running insanely wild. People began talking about the versatile wing as a potential superstar that would be absolutely electric on the court and a joy to deal with off of the floor with a polarizing personality. Unfortunately, Hezonja has shown very little of that on the hardwood to this point with the Orlando Magic.
Through 144 games played over his first two seasons in Orlando, Hezonja’s numbers aren’t laughable by any stretch. The Croatian wing has put up 12.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 2.6 assists and one steal per 36 minutes. That’s passable, sure. However, what fans and analysts have seen little of on the floor is that superstar type potential that ultimately vaulted him to being the fifth-overall pick.
What’s worse in the case of the Hezonja is that he regressed in a number of areas a great deal from his rookie to sophomore year. His field goal percentage dipped almost eight percentage points, while his 3-point efficiency fell by five points. For a player that the Magic were hoping would be able to take the leap, he crashed and burned in a big way.
There’s obviously still hope for Hezonja, though maybe it isn’t with the Magic. That’s why the Croatia product drops 24 spots from his initial draft slot, but still gets taken in the third round. Perhaps with more of a starring role with the lacking Brooklyn Nets, Hezonja would’ve been able to actually show off his star-caliber potential.