Former Los Angeles Laker forward, Slava Medvedenko — who won championships alongside Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant (2001, 2002) — is selling his NBA title rings to raise money for his native Ukraine, according to reports from the Associated Press (AP).
He is auctioning the rings via SCP Auctions, with the entire final sale price of both rings to Medvedenko’s Fly High Foundation. Fly High’s goal is to support Ukrainian children by restoring sports infrastructure across the war-torn country.
“We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than a hundred schools,” Medvedenko said on Sunday. “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 auction runs from 27 July to 5 August, with estimates projecting to be at $100,000 per ring.
Medvedenko spoke to the media about the auction while he hosted a sold-out charity basketball game in Warsaw, Poland to raise money for Ukrainian refugees.
“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.”
Medvedenko and his family had to leave for another part of the country after Ukraine was invaded by Russia in February. He reunited with his wife and two daughters five months into the war in Kyiv, Ukraine.
“In Ukraine, you’re just feeling it’s war, rockets, air alerts. You’re so used to that kind of pressure,” he reflected. “As soon as you cross the border and see how people live normal life, it’s a different world. After they stay for one-and-a-half months, they were all the time calling me and asking, ‘Papa, can we come home? We want to be with you and Mama.’”
Medvedenko originally joined the Lakers in the 2000-2001 season. He retired from the league after the 2006-2007 season with the Atlanta Hawks. Since then, Medvedenko has taken on more of a political career back home.
Medvedenko was a candidate for Kyiv city council in the 2020 election. Medvedenko has also served in Ukraine’s territorial defense during the war so far.
The Lakers have reportedly sent Medvedenko sports equipment for use in Ukraine.
“The Lakers family always help me,” he said. “The Lakers are always in my heart.”
