Last year, after undergoing a significant physical transformation, Luka Doncic seemed primed to lead the Slovenian men’s national team to a strong showing at the EuroBasket 2025. Although the lack of support resulted in Slovenia losing to Germany in the quarterfinals, Doncic may receive reinforcements in the near future.
According to the latest reports, Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes has officially received his Slovenian passport, making him eligible to represent the men’s national team in international competition. Hayes reacted to this after Lakers practice recently, sharing:
“We got my Slovenian passport. It really came through. Luka’s been calling me ‘my Slovenian brother.’ He says it all the time.”
The Lakers’ big man initially teased the notion of representing the Slovenian men’s team back in October. Given that both Hayes and Doncic share the same agent, Bill Duffy, the process of helping the Lakers’ center secure a Slovenian passport was set in motion.
The notion of pairing Luka Doncic with an athletic big man that he was familiar with was certainly promising. Now, almost six months later, Doncic and Hayes have an opportunity to team up for Slovenia.
Although Hayes has received his passport, it goes without saying that his knowledge of Slovenian is limited, as he admitted he barely knew the language.
“I don’t know a single word. Well… I actually know a few, but I can’t say them in front of you,” Hayes joked.
Hayes’ decision to break from the USA men’s team “invite-only” process may serve him well moving forward. Given that the Slovenian national team allows one naturalized citizen on the roster, Hayes is likely to represent the country in major events such as the Olympics and the FIBA Basketball World Cup.
Can Jaxson Hayes Have An Impact Next To Luka Doncic?
While Jaxson Hayes plays in the capacity of a backup center for the Los Angeles Lakers, there is more than enough evidence to suggest that he can be impactful when paired with Luka Doncic.
This season, Hayes has appeared in 66 games for the Lakers, averaging 7.5 points, 4.1 rebounds, and 0.8 blocks per game. In his last six appearances in the regular season, Jaxson Hayes shone even brighter, posting 14.8 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks per game. This stretch included a double-double performance of 21 points and 10 rebounds against the Indiana Pacers on March 25.
As an athletic big man with terrific rim-running instincts, Hayes possesses the tools to be the ideal pick-and-roll partner for Luka Doncic. Given that the duo averaged 34.7 points and had an offensive rating of 121.1 in just 13.5 minutes played per game, they boast the potential to be lethal.
This could be vital for Luka Doncic and Slovenia as they continue to compete in the FIBA World Cup European Qualifiers. Coming off their latest 86-84 win over Czechia, Slovenia has improved to 3-1, and secured the top spot in Group H.
Slovenia is scheduled to play Estonia (July 3) and Sweden (July 6) in the final games of the group stage. Given their current position, they are almost guaranteed a spot in the second round.
