Former Lakers player Slava Medvedenko auctions NBA championship rings for Ukraine / News - Basketnews.com

Credit:

Former Los Angeles Lakers player Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings to raise money for his native Ukraine, via Associated Press.

Stanislav Medvedenko

Position:C, PFAge:43Height:208 cmWeight:115 kgBirth place:Kiev, UkraineProfileNewsStatistics

Medvedenko was a power forward on the Lakers' championship teams in 2001 and 2002, playing alongside legends Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal.

SCP Auctions is donating the entire final sale price of both rings to Medvedenko's Fly High Foundation. Its goal is to support Ukrainian children by restoring the sports infrastructure of the war-torn country’s schools and launching a network of social sports clubs.

"We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than a hundred schools," he told The Associated Press. "Our country, they need a lot of money to fix the schools. Sports gyms are going to be last in the line to fix it. In Ukraine, we have winter and kids need to play inside."

The Laguna Niguel, California-based company estimates both rings will raise at least $100,000.

Medvedenko said he decided to sell the rings after going to the roof of one of the tallest buildings in his Kyiv neighborhood and watching rockets launched by Russian forces streak through the night sky.

"In this moment I just decided, 'Why do I need these rings if they're just sitting in my safe?'" Medvedenko said. "I just recognize I can die. After that, I just say I have to sell them to show people leadership, to help my Ukrainian people to live better, to help kids."

The 43-year-old is married with two daughters, ages 16 and 11, and a 10-year-old son. After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Medvedenko sent his children to live with their grandmother in another part of the country.

Five months into the war, Medvedenko has reunited his family in Kyiv.

Free throws this season

73%16,8Points made:16,8Accuracy:73,2%Place in standings:18Record max:42Record min:6Most made FTs:LeBron JamesTeamNBAStatisticsSchedule

"We have air alerts almost every day. Sometimes it's three or four times a day," he said. "The kids are so used to it. They play in our backyard. They do not even stop playing they are used to it."

Medvedenko has served in Ukraine's territorial defense forces during the war.

"We were defending our neighborhood, doing checkpoints and duty patrol. I'm not the best solider, I'm not the best shooter, but I can give them support," he said, adding that he carried an AK-47.

"I shoot it a couple of times, not at people. I'm happy I don't have a chance to shoot somebody. Our army did a great job to defend Kyiv. I want to thank them."

Beyond his humanitarian efforts during the war, Medvedenko has long-term goals to help his country.

"After the victory, we will definitely return to that question of quality changes in sport," he said. "Ten years in the United States, I saw how it works. I hope I have an ideal model in my mind to change Ukrainian sport."

Medvedenko started his professional path with Budivelnik Kyiv in 1997. He played in Ukraine and Lithuania until 2000, then he joined the Lakers.

Medvedenko spent six years in California and had his best season in 2003-04 when he started 38 games in place of injured Hall of Famer Karl Malone averaging 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds.

Medvedenko said he texts former Lakers Mark Madsen and Luke Walton. The team has sent sports equipment for use in Ukraine.

"The Lakers family always helps me," he said. "The Lakers are always in my heart."

Thank you for reading us! Help us even more.