Jaxson Hayes Receives Slovenian Passport, Eligible to Join Luka Doncic on National Team

Jaxson Hayes and Luka Doncic could possibly be the brand new duo on the worldwide stage after the Los Angeles Lakers middle shared some excellent news. Hayes desires to play in worldwide tournaments with a nationwide workforce. With the expertise that USA Basketball has, the previous Texas middle has a slim likelihood of being a part of Team USA.

Players that USA Basketball feels must be on the nationwide workforce are invited. The squad is usually made up of prime gamers, and few NBA position gamers are allowed to take part. Players can nonetheless play for different nationwide groups, nevertheless, to fulfill their goals of competing internationally.

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Jaxson Hayes Confirms Receiving His Slovenian Passport

After the workforce apply on Monday, Hayes confirmed with reporters that he acquired his Slovenian passport. This makes him eligible to play for the Slovenian males’s nationwide basketball workforce, along with Doncic.

“We got my Slovenian passport,” Hayes stated. “It really came through. Luka’s been calling me ‘my Slovenian brother.’ He says it all the time.”

Hayes, Doncic and their agent, Bill Duffy, have been pursuing a Slovenian passport for the Lakers huge man since October 2025. According to the backup middle, a part of the rationale why he needed to play for a special nation was due to the “invite-only” strategy of USA Basketball.

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“USA doesn’t do open tryouts,” Hayes said in October. “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 to do whatever it takes to play on that stage.”

Slovenia permits one naturalized participant in its roster, and Hayes may fill that position. The European workforce may have the Ohio native as their beginning middle within the 2028 LA Olympics. Additionally, he is already developed a fantastic on-court chemistry with Doncic.