"EL SEGUNDO, Calif. -- Jaxson Hayes enjoys playing with Luka Doncic so much on the Los Angeles Lakers that the 7-footer is trying to spend his summers playing for the Slovenian national team with Doncic, too. Hayes said Sunday that his and Doncic's agent, Bill Duffy of WME Sports, broached the idea with him about playing for Slovenia even before Doncic was traded to Los Angeles last winter."
"Part of Hayes' motivation was fueled by USA Basketball's selection process for its men's national team. "USA doesn't do open tryouts," Hayes said. "And I feel like there are guys they invite to the USA [training camp] that shouldn't be there. So, I wanted to just play on that stage ... I'm going do whatever it takes to play on that stage.""
Jaxson Hayes plans to pursue Slovenian citizenship to fill Slovenia's single allowed naturalized-player roster spot and play alongside Luka Doncic during summers. Bill Duffy of WME Sports raised the idea before Doncic's trade to Los Angeles. Hayes pointed to frustration with USA Basketball's closed selection process and expressed determination to play on the international stage. Duffy previously represented Anthony Randolph, who naturalized and helped Slovenia win EuroBasket 2017, and represented Steve Nash, whose Canada Basketball experience is credited with aiding his rise to two NBA MVP awards. Doncic averaged 34.7 points per game at EuroBasket 2025.
Read at ESPN.com
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]