Being a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft is no guarantee of success. Many players struggle, and do not live up to the expectations once placed upon them. Perhaps their production is a bit low. Maybe they look out of place during the games. And while it’s not always fair, these high draft picks are given most of the blame if and when their teams fail to improve. But that is life in the pros.
Mario Hezonja has experienced quite a few of those struggles, despite being only 24 years old. The former top-five pick from the 2015 Draft even saw his former team, the Orlando Magic, refuse to pick up his fourth-year option, which led to him being a free agent and signing with the New York Knicks last summer.