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

During a post-preseason press conference after the Lakers’ most recent exhibition match, center Jaxson Hayes discussed his connection with Slovenian superstar Luka Dončić.

He hinted at the possibility of acquiring Slovenian citizenship, stating, “Luka is my guy. We’re looking into getting Slovenian citizenship so I can team up with him next summer,” following the Lakers’ 121-94 defeat to the Dallas Mavericks in Las Vegas.

Hayes had a notable performance, scoring 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting and pulling down 10 rebounds—marking his standout display of the preseason thus far.

The Slovenian Basketball Federation has confirmed that negotiations are in progress regarding the naturalization of a center to enhance their national squad.

“As stated before, we are examining the option of adding a new naturalized player in the center position. Our goal is to secure this player for an extended period to ensure the stability of our team in the future. At this moment, we are unable to reveal any names or specific details. We will announce further information once all arrangements are finalized and procedures are completed,” mentioned a spokesperson from the federation, according to rtvslo.si.

Hayes was selected as the 8th overall pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, beginning his career with the New Orleans Pelicans before joining the Los Angeles Lakers in 2023. Over the course of six seasons, he has played in 367 regular-season games, with an average of 6.8 points and 3.9 rebounds per game.