Former LA Laker Slava Medvedenko auctions NBA title rings for Ukraine

Former Los Angeles Lakers player Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA champion rings to raise funds for his native Ukraine.

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

SCP Auctions will donate the final sale price of both rings to Medvedenko’s Fly High Foundation. Its aim is to support Ukrainian children by restoring school sports infrastructure in the war-torn country and launching a network of social sports clubs.

“We want to rebuild the gyms because the Russian army bombed over a hundred schools,” he told the Associated Press on Sunday. “Our country needs a lot of money to build schools. Gyms will be last in line to fix this. We have winter in Ukraine and children need to play inside.”

The auction runs from Wednesday until August 5th. The Laguna Niguel, Calif.-based company estimates both rings will fetch at least $100,000.

Medvedenko said he decided to sell the rings after climbing onto the roof of one of Kiev’s tallest buildings and seeing rockets fired by Russian forces in the night sky.

“In that moment, I decided, ‘Why do I need these rings if they’re just in my vault?’ said Medvedenko. “I just accept that I can die. After that, I just say I have to sell to show people leadership, help my Ukrainian people live better, help children.”

Medvedenko was speaking from Warsaw, Poland, where he hosted a sold-out charity basketball game to raise funds for Ukrainian refugees who had crossed the border to escape the war.

“In Ukraine, you feel like it’s a war, missiles, air strikes. You’re used to that kind of pressure,” he said. “Once you cross the border and see how people normally live, it’s a completely different world.”

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

“After staying for a month and a half, they called me and asked, ‘Dad, can we go home?’ We want to be with you and your mom,” she recalled.

Five months after the start of the war, Medvedenko was reunited with his family in Kyiv.

“We have air strikes almost every day. Sometimes it happens three or four times a day,” he said. “Children are very used to it. They play in our backyard. They don’t even stop playing, they’re used to it”.

During the war, Medvedenko served in the Territorial Defense Forces of Ukraine.

“We were protecting our neighborhood, making checkpoints and patrolling. I’m not the best soldier, I’m not the best marksman, but I can help you,” he said, adding that he carried an AK-47. anyone. Our army did a great job defending Kyiv. I want to thank you.”

Medvedenko was a candidate for Kyiv City Council in the 2020 elections. He was 11th on the electoral list and his party won just nine seats.

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

“After the victory, we will definitely return to the question of quality changes in the sport,” he said. “I spent ten years in the United States and saw how it works. I hope I have an ideal model in mind to change Ukrainian sport.

Medvedenko joined the Lakers in the 2000-01 season. He had his best season in 2003-04, when he started 38 games in place of injured Hall of Famer Karl Malone and averaged 8.3 points and 5.0 rebounds. Injuries later delayed him and Medvedenko was traded to the Atlanta Hawks in 2006–07, his final season in the league.

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

The Lakers family has always supported me. The Lakers are always in my heart.