Playing for national teams during FIBA tournaments and the Olympics is always a major honor that NBA players remember for the rest of their lives.
According to Basket News, via NBACentral, D’Angelo Russell of the Los Angeles Lakers has reportedly expressed interest in joining the Lithuanian national team.
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
The report says that Russell has an interest in playing for Lithuania internationally during FIBA tournaments.
Apparently, the idea of Russell coming on board is so big that it was brought all the way to the president of Lithuania, Gitanas Nauseda.
Russell’s partner and mother of his two children, Laura Ivaniukas, is of Lithuanian descent, which could open the door for citizenship.
If this idea is approved, Russell could be a part of the 2028 Lithuanian Olympic team.
This season, Russell is averaging 11.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game.
There have been complaints about his consistency since last year’s playoffs when the Lakers were taken down by the Denver Nuggets.
And while some Lakers fans would like to see him leave the team or the league entirely, this news only means that Russell would be playing for Lithuania during tournaments on the national team.
He would remain in the NBA, although his future with the Lakers is in question.
His name is once again being tossed around as a potential trade asset, and he could be on the move to a new team at some point this season.
International teams have only gotten better over the years, and Russell coming to Lithuania would be a massive boost to that squad’s potential.
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