LeBron James might be getting some flashbacks to 2019.
Multiple NBA teams are showing interest in signing former lottery pick Mario Hezonja, veteran basketball writer Marc Stein reported on Tuesday. Stein adds that the list of Hezonja suitors is said to include teams also pursuing the ex-Los Angeles Lakers star James.
Word broke earlier this week that Hezonja, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2015 NBA Draft, has decided to target an NBA comeback. Hezonja has been out of the league since 2020 but had made a new name for himself over the last several years while playing in Spain for Real Madrid.
Still just 31 years old, Hezonja was the Liga ACB MVP in 2026 and helped lead Real Madrid to two league titles, two Spanish Supercup victories, one Spanish Cup win, and one EuroLeague championship in 2023. Last season for Real Madrid, Hezonja averaged 17.5 points and 4.9 rebounds per game on 47/37/90 shooting splits in league play.
Meanwhile, Hezonja also has some notable history with James. Back when he was on the New York Knicks in 2019, Hezonja blocked an attempted game-winner by James and proceeded to disrespect The King by staring him down a bit. Here is the video of the play (which had served as Hezonja’s NBA career highlight up to this point).
Mario Hezonja blocks LeBron James and the Knicks beat the Lakers pic.twitter.com/RqZqwyJCyC
— Def Pen Hoops (@DefPenHoops) March 17, 2019
For the team that ultimately signs James this offseason, Hezonja would indeed make sense as a cheap 6-foot-6 shooter who can create some offense off the dribble as well. James is still receiving some intense recruiting efforts from interested teams, and now it looks like Hezonja could come as an unexpected part of the package as well.
