Mario Hezonja: The Decision-Making Dilemma (Part 2)
Analyzing the EuroLeague Landscape and Comparing Hezonja's Fit in Real Madrid and Panathinaikos
After breaking down his individual performance and influence on 3-point and 2-point scoring (first post published yesterday), today we're wrapping up our focus on Mario Hezonja. We're delving into his impact on rebounding and how he fits into the playing styles of both Real Madrid and Panathinaikos (in a potential move to Greece).
Reminder: all our analyses are based on performance in the EuroLeague.
For Spanish speakers, you can find an even more detailed explanation in Sergio Vegas' podcast.
7-Impact on Rebounding
Real Madrid
This is where things start to get interesting.
If we have a look at Offensive and Defensive Rebound Percentage, what we can see is that while he's not dominant in ORB%, he does contribute quite a bit on the defensive end.
Panathinaikos
On Panathinaikos' side, there's no player (excluding the big men) with the level of defensive rebounds he brings. He's on par with Juancho and Lessort in DRB% (a bit higher) and just below Mitoglu.
8-Analysis of play type distribution
Looking at Real Madrid's play type distribution, the team stands out for having a high volume in Pick and Roll Handler, Catch and Shoot, and Transition. With the last two having better Points per possession.
Hezonja's Play Types
When we look at Hezonja's play types distribution, we see that he excels most in Catch and Shoot and Transition. With more use of these playtypes and more than 1.4 points per possession for both.
Real Madrid vs. Hezonja Comparison
When we overlay the two graphs, we see that both in Transition and Catch and Shoot is where he performs above the team's average. He also stands out in post-ups and Isolation.
Catch and Shoot Comparison vs. Panathinaikos
He has a similar volume and Points perpossession to Grigonis as we saw in the 3-Points chart.
Here, there might be some overlap and also the challenge of finding space for both.
Transition Comparison vs. PAO
Here too, he's above the team's average and with high levels of gameplay volume. Adding options beyond what Grigonis offers.
Post-ups Comparison vs. PAO
He has a considerable level with efficiency superior to Lessort's and the team's average, bringing scoring versatility here too.
We've got a player with some serious offensive firepower, no doubt about it. He's all about that fast-paced game and knows how to make every possession count. Plus, he's not just about scoring; he's also pulling his weight on the defensive boards. But, hey, there's a bit of a puzzle when it comes to his shooting game, especially with Grigonis in the mix. Gonna need some creative coaching to mesh those two together smoothly. And let's not forget, he's bringing some extra flavor to the scoring game with his moves in the post and on the fast break, giving the team some much-needed options.