The NBA is chasing after LeBron James. Commissioner Adam Silver publicly pleaded with the 41-year-old basketball icon to reach a free agency decision, so the schedule makers can finalize plans for the upcoming season.
But the rumors are still flowing as strongly as the Nile River. While James is obviously an important figure, every now and then, the NBA provides little reminders that the league isn’t all about one athlete, even if he seems to have cracked the code to defy Father Time.
After all, there are over 400 other players under contract, as well as some former NBA players seeking a path back to the world’s most competitive basketball league.
Mario Hezonja Eyeing NBA Return, Could Join LeBron James
Remember Mario Hezonja? Dubbed ‘Super Mario’ on his Basketball Reference page, the fifth overall pick from the 2015 NBA Draft never really lived up to that moniker on a consistent basis. At least not stateside.
But now he wants to come back to the league, and as Marc Stein reports, he could be prioritizing opportunities to team up with free agency’s best remaining player, too.
“Latest on former No. 5 overall pick Mario Hezonja per league sources: Hezonja indeed expected to rejoin the NBA for the first time since 2019-20,” Stein wrote.
“Multiple NBA teams have shown interest in the Real Madrid forward. List said to include teams also pursuing LeBron James.”
Latest on former No. 5 overall pick Mario Hezonja per league sources:
🏀 Hezonja indeed expected to rejoin the NBA for the first time since 2019-20.
🏀 Multiple NBA teams have shown interest in the Real Madrid forward.
🏀 List said to include teams also pursuing LeBron James. pic.twitter.com/le0tCT8FYi
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) July 22, 2026
The Croatian native hasn’t played in the NBA since the 2019-20 season, when he appeared in 53 games (four starts) with the Portland Trail Blazers.
The Blazers were his third team in as many seasons, and each time he found a change in atmosphere, his minutes also decreased.
So, Hezonja took his talents back overseas to rejoin the EuroLeague, which is widely recognized as one of the best basketball leagues in the world.
After two seasons split between Panathinaikos and UNICS, Hezonja landed with the Spanish powerhouse Real Madrid for the 2022-23 season, and he’s played with them ever since.
Most recently, Hezonja took home the Spanish Liga MVP award (equivalent to the NBA’s MVP) after averaging 17.5 points per game to go with 4.9 rebounds and 1.9 assists per contest.
Ironically, as a member of the New York Knicks, Hezonja once made a game-saving block against James.
Now, over seven years later, he could be looking at a chance to team up with him, where he’d likely test the 41-year-old’s memory on a play Hezonja may never forget.
