The man who said he would never return to the NBA is back again.

Mario Hezonja, 31, has returned to the NBA after six years away, signing a one-year, $2.8 million deal with the Cavaliers. It's quite unusual to come back after such a long hiatus.

"I will not return to the NBA. I didn't get the respect I deserve. Moreover, in my view, the NBA is more of a spectacle than a game itself."

These were Mario Hezonja's words in a 2022 interview. At that time, many fans mocked him, saying he didn't want to return because he knew he couldn't. But the "never say never" rule is everywhere, and Hezonja has fought his way back from Europe to the NBA.

By now, nearly six years have passed since he left the NBA in 2020. He honed his skills in Europe, dominating with Real Madrid, averaging 17.5 points and 4.9 rebounds last season, winning the Liga ACB MVP. In fact, he drew interest from multiple NBA teams last year, but ultimately decided to re-sign with Real Madrid.

However, a year later, Real Madrid fired coach Sergio Scariolo, who had a very close relationship with Hezonja, causing a rift between the team and Hezonja. Hezonja paid his own buyout of $850,000 to return to the NBA.

Hezonja was the 5th overall pick in the 2015 draft. At that time, he had many nicknames, such as "European Tracy McGrady" and "the best European guard since Petrovic." Thanks to his agent's promotion, Hezonja was selected high by the Magic.

However, Hezonja completely failed to live up to his potential. Intense competition within the team was one factor, but his poor play was also a fact. He was the type of all-around player who could do a little bit of everything but nothing at an elite level. His physical gifts were top-tier in Europe, with countless dunks, and he even mimicked Zach LaVine's winning dunk from the Slam Dunk Contest.

Hezonja's physique was good among Europeans, but in the NBA, where the sky is crowded with athletes, he couldn't get off the ground. In his rookie season, he averaged 6.1 points and 2.2 rebounds. In his second season, his numbers dropped to 4.9 points per game, shooting only 35.5% from the field and 29.9% from three.

Such poor performance made the Magic lose patience, and they declined his fourth-year team option. Unexpectedly, things turned around. In the first half of his third season, the Magic were trying to trade Hezonja but couldn't. Before the All-Star break, an injury to Aaron Gordon gave Hezonja the starting power forward role. He seized the opportunity, and his stats and performance soared.

By the end of the season, he averaged 9.6 points and 3.7 rebounds. The Magic, who had been ready to give up on him, offered him a multi-year extension. Surprisingly, Hezonja firmly rejected it. This brings up his temper—Hezonja is notoriously hot-headed, and his arrogance was noted in his initial scouting report.

A person with such a personality would naturally seek revenge for the Magic's early abandonment. He left as a free agent and signed with the Knicks for one year at $6.5 million. Looking back, this decision directly ended his first NBA stint.

With the Knicks, he remained the same white forward who couldn't hit threes. His athleticism was still good, but his skills were too raw. Another nickname, "Human Highlight Reel of Missed Layups," described his funny scenes of missing various acrobatic shots. He could have taken a simple layup for two points, but he had to show off and end up with a brick.

However, with the Knicks, Hezonja produced two of the most famous moments of his career. Against the Lakers, he blocked LeBron James' game-winning mid-range shot. Notably, Hezonja was pushed from behind by DeAndre Jordan as he jumped, shortening the distance between him and James, and his hand squarely blocked the ball. This block became a classic in game-saving blocks.

Against the Bucks, Hezonja stole the ball at the start and threw down a two-handed dunk. Giannis Antetokounmpo, behind him, missed the block and was knocked to the floor. Hezonja looked down at Giannis dominantly and then stepped over him. This was undoubtedly the best play of Hezonja's career, enraging Giannis, who said he would get even.

After one season with the Knicks, Hezonja played a year with the Trail Blazers, appearing in only 53 games due to injuries. He was traded to the Grizzlies in November 2020 and waived in December, ending his first NBA chapter.

The current NBA is a wing-forward era, and a player of Hezonja's size still has market value. So the Cavaliers viewed him as a backup plan for LeBron James; after failing to land James, they signed Hezonja.

Hezonja left for six years and returns at only 31, still in the prime of a basketball player's career. Hopefully, he can stay in the NBA longer this time.