Courtesy of Dan Glassberg
@OffTheGlassberg
Mario Hezonja
Next is the Croatian Sensation Mario Hezonja (NSFW language), a man with so much swag he makes Nick Young look like Tim Duncan. He is the literal embodiment of the Sam Cassell ‘big balls’ dance. I cannot wait for him to be an NBA player.
Strengths
Oh man, that jump shot. Hezonja is a sweet-shooting wing with a picture-perfect shot. He shot 38% from deep for Barcelona this season.
That’s not his only offensive weapon, though. He’s very quick getting into the lane and finishes well at the rim, an attribute that will only make his jump shot that much more deadly as defenders sag off to prevent penetration.
Also, he can leverage his respectable athleticism into very good defense, if his coach can motivate him properly.
Weaknesses
Mario Hezonja is a walking conglomeration of hubris. He takes bad shots, and he makes them. He foregoes smart kick-outs to dunk over three opposing players, and it works. Will these things continue to work in the NBA? Perhaps, with time. Hezonja’s biggest weakness, when considering his NBA future, is that he may get in his own way.
He is oozing with obvious talent, and the easiest way to squander it is to let his hype influence his play. He could go as high as #4 to the Knicks and as low as #7 and Denver.
Next: Emmanuel Mudiay