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LA Lakers<\/a> center Jaxson Hayes<\/a> received great news on Monday regarding his future career in international competition. Hayes confirmed after the team’s practice that he has received his Slovenian passport. The Lakers big man, his agent, Bill Duffy, and Luka Doncic<\/a> have been pushing for him to become a Slovenian citizen.<\/p>\n This makes him eligible to be a naturalized player for the Slovenian men’s national basketball team. The program allows one naturalized player, and Hayes could take up that spot. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \nThanks for the submission!\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/template><\/p>\n \u201cWe got my Slovenian passport,\u201d Hayes told reporters. \u201cIt really came through. Luka\u2019s been calling me \u2018my Slovenian brother.\u2019 He says it all the time.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n \u2022 <\/p>\n <\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/template><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/template><\/p>\n Hayes has pursued it since October 2025. He said that he wants to fulfill his dreams of playing on the international stage. While he would like to play for Team USA, the “invite-only” process that the program has hinders him from being a part of it.<\/p>\n Fans were ecstatic to learn that Jaxson Hayes may be Doncic’s next colleague on the Slovenian national team. Here are some of what the fans said. <\/p>\n “Slovenian brother unlocked Luka just gained another weapon,” a fan said.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/p>\n