As fellow Europeans who were in the same draft class and had faced each other since they were 15, Mario Hezonja grew close to Kristaps Porzingis.
“It’s a little disappointing I never got to play with him,’’ Hezonja said before the Knicks’ 113-99 loss to the Celtics.
In fact, the only current Knicks who played with Porzingis are Enes Kanter, Frank Ntilikina, Lance Thomas and Damyean Dotson.
Hezonja was picked fifth in the 2016 draft by Orlando right after Porzingis, who will join fellow European, Luka Doncic, the front-runner for NBA Rookie of the Year.
Hezonja said Dallas has the three of the top 10 Europeans to ever play the game — including 40-year-old Dirk Nowitzki.