By John Denton

July 4, 2015

ORLANDO – In a scene that seemed to be straight out of a Hollywood script, Mario Hezonja – a rookie playing in his first NBA game – received the basketball on the left wing and his Orlando Magic trailing by two points in the final seconds.

What happened next backed up the legendary confidence that Hezonja brought with him from Europe and it left the Magic downright giddy with excitement over the forward’s future.

Hezonja, the fifth overall pick from last Thursday’s NBA Draft, confidently drilled a go-ahead 3-point shot with 12.9 seconds remaining that proved to be the winning points in Orlando’s 75-74 overtime defeat of the Los Angeles Clippers in first-day action of the Southwest Airlines Orlando Pro Summer League.

Known throughout the Spanish League as a knockdown shooter who possesses nearly as much swagger as he does talent, the 20-year-old Hezonja didn’t flinch with game on the line. He took a pass from teammate Devyn Marble and let fly the shot that decided the game. Hezonja knew exactly what to do with the basketball and the outcome hanging in the balance.

``You’ve just got to take the shot with no fear, score and finish the deal,’’ said Hezonja, who finished with 12 points and two 3-pointers in almost 24 minutes of action in his NBA debut.

In the months and weeks leading up to last week’s NBA Draft, the Magic fell in love with the infectious confidence and fighting spirit that Hezonja plays with. On Saturday, just two days after Hezonja stepped onto a NBA court for the first time with his new NBA teammates, he delivered the kind of big-time shot that is telling about his belief in himself.

``I met a shooter and his name is Mario,’’ gushed Magic forward Aaron Gordon, who had 22 points, 18 rebounds and two blocked shots. ``I was talking to him the other day and he’s been a pro since he was, like, 11. That’s what I’ve always wanted as a teammate, somebody who doesn’t care (about pressure). He’s ready to roll with this.’’

Hezonja’s buyout with his Spanish League team wasn’t finalized until Monday and he wasn’t fully cleared by FIBA until Thursday afternoon. He got in just two practices before Saturday and he was used off the bench early in the game. He admitted afterwards that nerves played somewhat of a role in his three-of-eight shooting and the two free throws that he missed early in the game.

``It was just a strange feeling and I’m slipping (with) the ball too much on the court,’’ he said. ``I’m fine, but it was just some strange feelings.’’

As if his game-winning shot wasn’t proof enough, Hezonja was asked if he felt comfortable with the ball in his hands at the end of games. He replied, ``Of course, everybody does. I wouldn’t be here (in the NBA) if I didn’t. So, yeah.’’

As soon as Hezonja was inserted into the game late in the first quarter, Magic coach Adrian Griffin – the lead assistant on head coach Scott Skiles’ staff – drew up a play for the small forward to run off two screens and get the ball into his hands. That play resulted in Clippers forward Jordan Hamilton grabbing Hezonja for a foul. That didn’t slow down Hezonja, who drilled a corner 3-pointer midway through the fourth quarter and sank two free throws with 1:30 left in regulation after the Magic had fallen behind by as many as five points.

``There was no hesitation and he let it fly,’’ Griffin said. ``Obviously, he’s a great shooter and an excellent athlete. This is only his second full day with us and for him to go out there and compete the way that he did, he’s doing a helluva job. He’s going to continue to improve because he’s still learning the sets and learning the schemes, but you would have to be blind to not see his talent.’’

Hezonja’s heroics backed up a stellar performance by Gordon, the Magic’s second-year forward who won’t even turn 20 years old until September. Gordon has practically lived in the gym all summer, hoping to improve his shot and become more of an instinctual player on the offensive end of the floor.

That hard work paid off in a big way early in the game as Gordon scored 10 straight points during one stretch of the first quarter – six of them coming on 3-point shots. That hot start helped the Magic jump to an 18-2 lead and it buoyed the confidence of the blossoming Gordon.

``I was real comfortable, it was fun and I’m just enjoying playing basketball,’’ said Gordon, who made eight of 18 shots, two of five 3-pointers and grabbed five of his 18 rebounds on the offensive glass. ``I’m just showing what I can do and continuing to improve. … It’s a long game, so I’m still working on slowing it down the entire game. That’s what the great players do. For the most part, I was seeing the plays develop and playing my game.’’

A couple of sequences throughout Saturday’s game showed off the blossoming chemistry between three of Orlando’s youngest players – Hezonja, Gordon and Elfrid Payton. The highlight of the first half came when Hezonja stripped the ball away from Nate Wolters and flipped it ahead to Payton as he was falling to the floor. Payton pushed the tempo and found Gordon on the fastbreak for a thunderous alley-oop dunk.

With eight minutes left in regulation, Gordon set a screen on the left wing to free up Payton, who drove the ball hard to the baseline where he found a waiting Hezonja all alone in the opposite corner. Hezonja, who buried eight 3-pointers in a Spanish League game earlier this season, didn’t hesitate and connected on the 3-point shot.

``Everything is different,’’ Hezonja said when comparing European basketball to the NBA. ``This is great (preparation) for what’s coming. … For me, (building chemistry with Payton and Gordon) is everything. That’s even more important than the basketball. It’s already great, but it will only go upwards.’’

Hezonja was promoted to the club level in his native Croatia when he was 11 years old, and he signed with Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona at the tender age of 17. But he acknowledged this playing basketball at this level – in the NBA, albeit in summer league – is different for him. He is in a new country and learning new teammates and trying to live up to the hype that comes with being a No. 5 pick in the NBA Draft.

But when the ball swung his way on Saturday, Hezonja tried to treat the moment just like any other. He caught the ball, never hesitated and drilled the game-winner to cap his first game with the Magic in grand fashion.

``This,’’ Hezonja said with a broad smile, ``is the beginning of the journey.’’

Note: The contents of this page have not been reviewed or endorsed by the Orlando Magic. All opinions expressed by John Denton are solely his own and do not reflect the opinions of the Orlando Magic or their Basketball Operations staff, partners or sponsors.