Looking ahead to the 2028 Olympics, which will be held in Los Angeles, Lakers guard D'Angelo Russell has expressed interest in playing for Lithuania.
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D’Angelo Russell has reportedly expressed interest in joining the Lithuanian national team, per @BasketNews_com pic.twitter.com/cNT06PG7Ka
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 22, 2024
Although Russell has absolutely no Lithuanian ancestry, he does have a connection to the country, as he could gain citizenship through his partner, Laura Ivaniukas.
She is a native Lithuanian and has given birth to two children with Russell.
That is, Russell's interest in gaining Lithuanian citizenship has already been relayed to authorities.
"The President's institution is aware of the player and his connection to Lithuania, but formal citizenship procedures haven't been started yet," Frederiks Janson, an advisor to President Gitnas Nauseda, said.
With this in mind, Lithuania has never had a foreign-born player on their international roster. Nevertheless, President Nauseda may be open to the idea.
"In principle, I would look at the naturalization in a more liberal way, it wouldn't have to be an artificial naturalization of a person who has no emotional connection to Lithuania," Nauseda said. "Some kind of an emotional connection would still have to exist."
Reportedly, this idea of Russell playing for his significant other's home country first came about when the parents of Chicago Bulls rookie Matas Buzelis suggested it while visiting Nauseda at the Presidential Palace.
To point out, there is already a naturalized player on Team Lithuania, Ignas Brazdeikis.
Brazdeikis was born in Lithuania, but his family emigrated to America and then later moved to Canada. Even so, his Lithuanian citizenship was restored in 2021, and he made his debut in 2022.
With this in mind, there is only one naturalized player spot available on the team, so Brazdeikis would have to be taken off the roster in order for Russell to join.
In view of Russell's stats for the Lakers this season, the 28-year-old has averaged a career-low 11.5 points (39.1% FG; 29.8% 3PT) and 5.0 assists.
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