Hezonja's Farewell: 'You Lost Patience Because of My Shots, and I Lost Mine Because of You'
Croatian basketball player Mario Hezonja emotionally bid farewell to Real Madrid and its fans after four years, confirming his return to the NBA.
Croatian basketball player Mario Hezonja emotionally bid farewell to Real Madrid and its fans after four years, confirming his return to the NBA.
Croatian national team basketball player Mario Hezonja (31) has officially said goodbye to Real Madrid. On Thursday, he posted a lengthy, emotional letter of thanks to the club, teammates, and fans on his social media profiles, thus closing the chapter on his return to the NBA. Hezonja will wear the Cleveland Cavaliers jersey in the upcoming season.
"After much reflection over the past month, I decided to focus all my attention on the good," Hezonja began his letter, alluding to the decision to leave, which, as he noted, was not made lightly.
During his four years in Madrid, Hezonja became one of the club's key players and won a total of six titles. He added one EuroLeague, two Spanish league championships, one Copa del Rey, and two Spanish Super Cups to his trophy cabinet. He departs as the ACB League MVP, an award he earned in a season in which Madrid, for the first time since 2011, finished without a single trophy.
"From day one, the message here was very clear: win everything. And we achieved that: games, battles, wars, titles... EVERYTHING!" Hezonja wrote. However, he also emphasized a special connection with the fans. "I achieved something very difficult, and I will carry it with the utmost respect and love for the rest of my life: the love of the Madridistas," he stressed.
In his letter, Hezonja spoke candidly about his relationship with the fans, which was full of ups and downs. "There were nights when I surely got on your nerves with some shot that only Mario can take, without someone complaining... and others when you got on my nerves. I guess those are the relationships that truly matter," he wrote.
He thanked the club for shaping him both as a player and as a person. "You taught me what it means to be part of a club that lives like a family. You turned me into a true winner. The combination of my mental strength, my character, my personality, and my competitive spirit with the DNA of Real Madrid is undoubtedly one of the best things that has ever happened to me in life," Hezonja said.
He extended special thanks to club president Florentino Pérez, as well as to individuals in management who helped him realize the transfer. "Especially special, Mr. Juan Carlos Sánchez, for everything he gave me and for the way he managed my contract so I could continue chasing my dream of playing in the NBA. I will be eternally grateful," he wrote.
Hezonja emphasized that his departure was not due to a lack of desire to fight for the Madrid crest, but rather a combination of circumstances. "The moment I thought would never come has arrived: leaving Real Madrid, leaving my home," he admitted. He concluded his farewell with the words: "REAL MADRID is not left; it is carried forever. THANK YOU! HALLA MADRID AND NOTHING MORE!"
