Sunday was a rest day for Orlando Magic players.
Instead, Mario Hezonja planned to work.
The 6-foot-8 swingman expected to go to the team's Amway Center practice court and put up shots _ anything he could do to reverse a disappointing start to his second NBA season.
"I can't be outworked _ that's my mentality every day," Hezonja said. "I'm coming into the gym. I'm trying to outwork everybody."
The Magic have completed almost one-third of their season, and perhaps no question looming over the team is more mystifying than what has happened to Hezonja, the fifth pick in the 2015 NBA draft.
Originally expected to be a key contributor this year, Hezonja has been ineffective and has fallen out of the Magic's regular playing rotation. He has not played in nine of the Magic's last 17 games.
On Saturday, he received an opportunity, but he didn't capitalize on his chance. With the Magic playing their eighth game in 12 nights, coach Frank Vogel put Hezonja on the court to begin the second quarter against the Denver Nuggets.
Although Hezonja made the only shot he attempted _ a turnaround jumper from 11 feet _ he didn't make much of an impact. The player he was guarding, Juancho Hernangomez, sank four 3-pointers as Hezonja shifted occasionally to other areas of the court in help defense. Vogel kept Hezonja in the game for 6 minutes, 31 seconds and didn't put Hezonja back in during the second half.
"It's a tough thing where Mario's at right now," Vogel said afterward. "When you fall out of the rotation, it's tough to sustain your rhythm and timing without practices. And the kid's working his tail off. Every time I see him, he's sweating _ after shootarounds, pregame, all that stuff. He's just working his tail off to stay ready, but it's not the same as playing 5-on-5 basketball. So he's a little bit out-of-sync with his rhythm and timing."
Hezonja insists he's staying positive. After Saturday's game, the 21-year-old noted he also endured stretches when he didn't play often for his previous team, Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona. In those periods, he said he worked harder.
The Magic's veteran players have advised him how to handle his current situation, telling him to continue to work.
"I'm really thankful for that," Hezonja said.
Hezonja speaks regularly with fellow Croatian and Magic teammate Damjan Rudez, a 30-year-old power forward.
"Obviously, as a young guy it's very hard for him," Rudez said. "He's a very emotional and very ambitious player. When things are not always going your way, as they have a tendency to in the NBA, you really have to be patient. He's doing a good job at it. His ambition is so strong and his desire to play is so big and he's so full of energy that it's sometimes hard to keep everything under control.
"That's what we're all trying to teach him and help him with: that in the NBA, the key to success and key to longevity is patience and controlling everything that you can control. Just work hard every day. This is a league where opportunity pops out out of nowhere, literally. You always have to be ready."
Rudez thinks Hezonja is making significant strides with his patience.
But Rudez agrees with Vogel: Hezonja is in a tough position because of the Magic's recent lack of practice time.
"I think one thing people don't really realize is that one of the toughest jobs in the NBA is being a bench guy that has to come in as an energy guy," Rudez said. "Sometimes when you have to work your way into the rotation by producing all of a sudden and give that spark, that's hard."
In the meantime, Hezonja has no other choice but to keep working _ and making sure he's as productive as possible on both ends of the court when he receives his chances.
"I'm motivated, and I'm ready," Hezonja said. "So whenever coach calls me, I'm ready. That's why I do all of this, the job of practicing even harder: to be in shape and to be ready."
