CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Cedi Osman's smile was as wide as his eyes on Wednesday night.

It didn't matter that Cavaliers rookie looked mostly overwhelmed during the the preseason opener. It didn't matter that he airballed a layup, tossing the ball from the right side of the hoop to the left and only catching a small sliver of the backboard. It didn't matter that he looked jittery and nervous when he first hopped off the bench.

For Osman, Wednesday was a dream come true, getting his first real taste of the NBA after abandoning everything he knew, everything that was comfortable for this this shot.

"It was the first NBA game for me. Of course, it was really difficult on the court," Osman said after the Cavs' 109-93 loss against the Atlanta Hawks. "Playing together with (Jose) Calderon, Jeff Green, D-Rose and those players and I was really excited. Yes, we lost. But this was the first game and for me this was a big experience."

It came earlier than he expected. After sitting out the annual Wine and Gold Scrimmage Monday because of back spasms, Osman's spot in the rotation was unclear. But when Iman Shumpert, part of the revamped second unit, slammed the ball down and limped toward the locker room with about two minutes remaining in the first quarter, head coach Tyronn Lue signaled for Osman.

"For me, first it was like shock," Osman said. "But then when I continued to play I got used to it and felt better and better. It was OK for a first game. I think I was a little more excited, but it's OK."

One of the first times he touched the ball, Osman committed an offensive foul. Moments later, he missed a wide-open 3-pointer at the first quarter buzzer.

He didn't score his first basket until late in the third quarter, a snazzy post move that ended with a layup. He finished the night with six points on 2-of-6 shooting to go with two assists, two rebounds, two turnovers and three fouls. Overall, there weren't many positives. He even looked a little lost on the defensive end, an area that's supposed to be one of his best.

You will have to forgive him for now. He's still getting his bearings. Osman doesn't even have his own locker yet -- sharing a space with big man Ante Zizic. Following the game, after being one of the last players in the locker room, Osman needed help locating his parents in the adjacent family room before getting directions out of the arena.

Coming from overseas, the NBA is uncharted waters for Osman, and it will take months before he's capable of navigating.

"Here in the NBA they play a lot of fast basketball," he said. "Overseas it's not like that. It's more halfcourt plays and stuff. But here always running, fastbreak points, easy points. That's not a problem for me. Overseas I was playing like this all the time. I'm the guy with a lot of energy and the guy who likes to run the floor all the time. I think that will not be a problem for me."

In Turkey, Osman was the star of a shampoo ad. He was one of the leaders of the Turkish National Team during EuroBasket 2017. Now he seems on the outside of the rotation -- at least to start the season. That's just one of the many adjustments Osman is trying to make.

"It's not going to be a problem," he said. "The most important thing is to be mentally ready. Whenever I get a chance I'm going to give my best. If that's five, 10, 20, it doesn't matter. I'm going to give my best and I'll be ready all the time."

As he learned in his first NBA game, it may happen when he least expects it.