Jaxson Hayes Pursues Slovenian Citizenship to Join Forces with Luka Dončić for Future National Team

During a press conference after the Lakers’ recent preseason game, center Jaxson Hayes shared insights into his friendship with Slovenian basketball sensation Luka Dončić.

During this discussion, he hinted at the possibility of securing Slovenian citizenship.

“Luka is my guy. We’re in the process of obtaining Slovenian citizenship so I can join him next summer,” the 25-year-old mentioned to the media after the Lakers’ 121-94 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks in Las Vegas.

Hayes had an impressive performance, scoring 12 points on 5-for-8 shooting and hauling in 10 rebounds, marking his strongest showing of the preseason thus far.

The Slovenian Basketball Federation has confirmed that talks are active regarding the naturalization of a center to bolster the national team.

“As previously stated, we are considering the addition of a new naturalized player in the center role. We hope to secure this player for an extended period to enhance the team’s stability in the coming years. At this point, we cannot provide specific names or details. Once everything is finalized and the processes are completed, we will make an announcement to the public,” a spokesperson for the federation said, according to rtvslo.si.

Hayes was selected as the 8th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, beginning his professional journey with the New Orleans Pelicans before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023. Throughout six seasons, he has logged 367 regular-season games, averaging 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.