NBA
Lakers’ Jaxson Hayes could obtain a Slovenian passport to play with Luka Doncic next summer
Zach Wolpin is an NBA and NFL expert who's been betting on the league for over three years now. Wolpin has been a fan of the NBA and has been watching for a decade and a half. He covers the latest news and stories surrounding the league daily. His passion in life is watching sports and being able to share that through his sports writing. He has written about the NBA and other sports leagues through various media outlets over the years like Sir Charles In Charge, G-Men HQ, and TAP into South Plainfield. Before he became an NBA News Writer, Wolpin attended Montclair State University where he graduated in 2021. He studied Sports Media and Writing while in school.
All posts by Zach WolpinUpdated57 minutes ago on October 16, 2025
On Wednesday, October 15, the Lakers and Mavericks met for a neutral-site game in Las Vegas. It was the second-to-last preseason game for Los Angeles. In the end, they lost 121-94 to Dallas.
Several key players sat for the Lakers in this matchup. They were without Luka Doncic, LeBron James, Deandre Ayton, Austin Reaves, and Marcus Smart. With Deandre Ayton out, backup center Jaxson Hayes got the start vs. the Mavericks. Speaking with reporters after the loss, Hayes shared an interesting piece of information. The 25-year-old said he is working with Luka Doncic to obtain a Slovenian passport. This would allow Hayes to become a naturalized citizen and play with Doncic overseas next summer.
How serious is Jaxson Hayes about obtaining a Slovenian passport?
The Lakers’ Jaxson Hayes said last night in Las Vegas that he is trying to secure a Slovenian passport to play alongside Luka Dončić on Slovenia’s national team as its naturalized player. https://t.co/vD6eqLtRvB
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) October 16, 2025
The 2025-26 season will be Jaxson Hayes’s seventh season in the NBA and third with the Lakers. He joined the team ahead of the 2023-24 season. Over his first two years with Los Angeles, Hayes has appeared in 126 games and made 40 starts. He averages 5.4 points and 3.8 rebounds per game. Hayes became a full-time starter by the beginning of February under head coach JJ Redick. For 2025-26, Hayes will be a backup.
Los Angeles signed Deandre Ayton this offseason. He had the remainder of his contract bought out by the Trail Blazers. In the Lakers’ preseason game on Wednesday, Jaxson Hayes started while Deandre Ayton and other starters sat. Hayes played 25 minutes for Los Angeles and finished the game with 12 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal, and one block.
Los Angeles Lakers center Jaxson Hayes could play for Slovenia with Luka Doncic already next summer 😮
Read more: https://t.co/ajD9iasfVZ pic.twitter.com/SUY8GpWzAR
— BasketNews (@BasketNews_com) October 16, 2025
After the game, Jaxson Hayes spoke with reporters and shared an interesting anecdote. He said Luka Doncic is helping him obtain a Slovenian passport. This would make Jaxson Hayes a naturalized citizen in Slovenia. Additionally, he would be able to play on the Slovenian national team with Luka Doncic in the summer of 2026.
In the past, Slovenia had thought about naturalizing Daniel Gafford. He was Luka Doncic’s teammate in Dallas. Daniel Gafford joining Luka on the Slovenian national team didn’t gain any traction. That’s why they’ve shifted their focus to Jaxson Hayes. If the big man successfully obtains a Slovenian passport, he’ll be able to play with the team in the FIBA World Cup 2027 Qualifiers. It would be a huge addition to the Slovenian roster.
