A Los Angeles Lakers big man has taken a major step toward becoming Luka Doncic’s international teammate, giving Slovenia a potential NBA-level frontcourt boost for future tournaments.
Slovenia have long leaned on Doncic to shape games with his shot-making, vision, and late-clock creation.
The roster question has often been what kind of size and athleticism can be placed around him when the national team faces deeper international opponents.
Now, one Lakers center has cleared a key citizenship hurdle that could change those future plans.
Jaxson Hayes receives a Slovenian passport to team up with Luka Doncic
Marc Stein shared the update on X, pointing to the Slovenian Basketball Federation’s announcement that Hayes had received his passport.
“Lakers center Jaxson Hayes gets his Slovenian passport below to team up internationally in the future with Luka Doncic,’ Stein tweeted.
The federation said Hayes became a Slovenian citizen after taking the oath at the Slovenian embassy in Washington and receiving his passport. It also noted that he will not be available for the upcoming qualifying window, but is viewed as an important long-term piece for the national team.
That distinction matters. This is not being framed as an immediate roster fix, but as a future move that could give Doncic a more athletic center option in international play.
Luka Doncic could get a new Slovenian pick-and-roll partner
Hayes’ possible role with Slovenia is easy to understand because Doncic has always been at his best when he has vertical spacing, rim pressure and a big man who can punish defenses for stepping too high.
At 7-foot with NBA athleticism, Hayes offers the kind of lob threat and rim-running profile that can simplify possessions around Doncic. He is not being added to carry Slovenia’s offense, but to give their best player a different kind of target and help protect the paint at the other end.
Under FIBA rules, teams are generally limited in how they use naturalized players, so Slovenia’s decision to bring Hayes into the setup carries real roster significance. It suggests they see him as more than a depth addition.
Doncic remains the face of Slovenian basketball, and adding a Lakers center to the long-term pool gives the national team another way to build around him before future major competitions.
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