Mario Hezonja on why he left Panathinaikos & how the NBA challenges toughened him up

Mario Hezonja joins BasketNews’ Donatas Urbonas to talk about a blessing offer going through a very tough period of his life, an enormous love story with Panathinaikos, a weird situation that forced him to leave Athens, NBA leadership examples for his new chapter in Europe, and feeling alive again.

Topics:

• How the EuroLeague changed, and what Hezonja was missing in the NBA (00:00);
• Why Sarunas Jasikevicius would have cut Hezonja’s head, and how the NBA changed his game (5:19);
• “I felt like I’m done with playing” (11:27);
• The blessing opportunity in Athens and weird situation why he left Panathinaikos (15:30);
• How UNICS impressed Hezonja and offers he received in summer which would make a mess in Greece (20:14);
• If joining the Barcelona was a real option (26:14);
• The leadership examples Hezonja learned in the Portland Trail Blazers (29:52);
• The reward of getting through the challenging NBA moments and what made him feel alive again (36:01).