Croatian basketball player Mario Hezonja, ahead of his return to the NBA, shared an anecdote about Dražen Petrović and explained why he considers Toni Kukoč the greatest Croatian player of all time.
Mario Hezonja is about to start a new chapter in the NBA. After being one of the key players for Real Madrid, the Croatian international is moving to the Cleveland Cavaliers, with whom he will sign a contract worth $2.8 million.
Before returning to the United States, Hezonja appeared on the podcast "Career in the Rearview Mirror," where he recalled his early days in the NBA, playing for Orlando, New York, and Portland, and shared interesting stories about Croatian basketball legends.
Hezonja recounted what his conditioning coach from Real Madrid told him about Dražen Petrović and Arvydas Sabonis. "My conditioning coach in Madrid told me about Dražen and Sabonis. He said he watched them and saw how fiery they were, and that's exactly what the club needed. They were hungry for success, and Real needed players like that," Hezonja relayed.
However, he emphasized that he cannot give a personal opinion about the "Mozart of basketball" because he never had the chance to watch him live. Recall that in 2019, when he moved to the Portland Trail Blazers, Hezonja chose the number 44 jersey, the same number the great Dražen Petrović wore while playing for that franchise.
Hezonja had even higher praise for Toni Kukoč, whom he unhesitatingly places at the top of the list of the greatest Croatian basketball players in history. He was particularly impressed by an encounter with Kukoč during national team preparations.
"For me, Toni is our best player of all time. When Toni shows up, you immediately feel that he's greatness. He was with us at national team preparations, and he shouted to me: 'Hezi, pass me the ball, let me see if I still have it.' I passed him the ball, and every shot goes in like water. For me, that's it," Hezonja said.
He continued to explain his admiration for the fact that Kukoč played at a top level for twenty years. "You can't be top for 20 years and then say that basketball is behind you. You are basketball, and you can't run away from that. Toni is a joker, he comes right in and shows how it should be done," Hezonja added.
In addition to club challenges, Hezonja also has important games ahead in the Croatian jersey. Head coach Tomislav Mijatović has included him on the roster for two World Cup qualifying matches for the 2027 tournament. Croatia will face Latvia and the Netherlands at the end of August 2026, and a strong lineup is expected.
