DistantNews
Support us
Real Madrid: Hezonja departs for the NBA
🇬🇷 Greece /Sports

Real Madrid: Hezonja departs for the NBA

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Context piece
  • Mario Hezonja is reportedly leaving Real Madrid after four years to return to the NBA.
  • The Croatian forward's contract with Real Madrid did not include an exit clause for other EuroLeague teams but did have an NBA-Out clause.
  • Hezonja is seeking a new challenge in the U.S. after a disappointing season for Real Madrid.

Croatian forward Mario Hezonja appears to have decided to leave Real Madrid, concluding his four-year tenure with the Spanish club. According to Spanish journalist Chema de Lucas, the player does not intend to continue his career in Europe and is considering a return to the NBA, the world's premier basketball league.

Hezonja's contract with Real Madrid did not contain a buyout clause for other EuroLeague teams, as his agreement was set to run until the summer of 2029. However, it did include an NBA-Out clause, which the player is reportedly ready to activate. The 31-year-old player believes his next career challenge lies across the Atlantic.

In recent times, Hezonja had not hidden his dissatisfaction with the team's developments. The departure of coach Chus Mateo and a season without any titles seem to have impacted the team's morale. Real Madrid came close to winning the EuroLeague title but ultimately fell short.

Chema de Lucas did not disclose which team Hezonja might join, leaving the Croatian player's future uncertain for the 2026/27 season. The news broke with a social media post: "BREAKING: Mario Hezonja has informed Real Madrid that he is leaving for the #NBA."

Mario Hezonja has informed Real Madrid that he is leaving for the #NBA.

— Chema de LucasJournalist reporting Mario Hezonja's decision to leave Real Madrid for the NBA.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog