Coach: Hezi at Peak Form, Belongs in NBA; Player to Miss National Team Qualifiers

National team coach Mijatović believes that basketball player Hezi is currently at the zenith of his career and merits a spot in the NBA. This assessment comes as a significant development for the national team, which will have to compete without him in the upcoming World Cup qualifying games scheduled for autumn and winter.

Despite the team's loss, sports director Kruno Simon emphasized that Hezi's pursuit of his NBA dream is paramount. Simon asserted that Hezi has demonstrated he has what it takes to succeed on NBA courts, indicating a strong belief in the player's talent and potential at the highest level of the sport.

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Hezi is at the peak of his playing powers and his place is in the NBA league.

The decision reflects a player's ambition to compete in the world's premier basketball league, even at the cost of national team commitments. It highlights the individual aspirations within professional sports and the recognition of Hezi's exceptional skill set by key figures in Croatian basketball.

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For the national team, this is not a happy circumstance because we will play the autumn and winter qualifying matches for the World Cup without him, but Hezi must follow his dream because he has something to say on the NBA courts.