Spanish League MVP Mario Hezonja returns to NBA on 1-year contract with Cleveland Cavaliers

Spanish League MVP Mario Hezonja returns to NBA on 1-year contract with Cleveland Cavaliers | iNFOnews.ca
FILE - Real Madrid's Mario Hezonja drives to the basket past Kostas Papanikolaou, left, and Nikola Milutinov, right, during the Euroleague final basketball match between Olympiacos and Real Madrid in Athens, Greece, May 24, 2026. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis, File)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Forward Mario Hezonja will return to the NBA for the first time in six years after signing a one-year contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers.

Hezonja has played the last four years for Real Madrid and was the Spanish League MVP after averaging 13.3 points, 4.0 rebounds and 2.4 assists this past season.

The 31-year-old from Croatia was the fifth overall pick by Orlando in the 2015 NBA draft and played five seasons for the Magic, New York Knicks and Portland Trail Blazers. He averaged 6.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists.

Hezonja also played in the EuroLeague for Panathinaikos in Greece and Russia’s UNICS Kazan.

Cleveland — which advanced to the Eastern Conference finals last season for the first time in 2018 — had a need for depth in the front court after the departures of Dean Wade and Keon Ellis during free agency.

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