After Russia invaded Ukraine in February, Medvedenko sent his children to live with their grandmother in another part of the country. The 43-year-old is married with two daughters, ages 16 and 11, and a 10-year-old son. “As soon as you cross the border and see how people live normal life, it’s a different world.”

You’re so used to that kind of pressure,” he said. “In Ukraine, you’re just feeling it’s war, rockets, air alerts. Medvedenko spoke from Warsaw, Poland, where he staged a sold out charity basketball game to raise money for Ukrainian refugees who crossed the border to escape the war. 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.” “In this moment I just decided, ‘Why do I need these rings if they’re just sitting in my safe?’” Medvedenko said. 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. The Laguna Niguel, California-based company estimates both rings will raise at least $100,000.Ī California-based company estimates Slava Medvedenko’s rings will fetch at least $100,000. The auction runs from Wednesday through Aug. In Ukraine, we have winter and kids need to play inside.” Sports gyms are going to be last in the line to fix it. “Our country, they need a lot of money to fix the schools.

“We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than a hundred schools,” he told The Associated Press by phone on Sunday. 100% of the proceeds from the auction go to Slava’s Fly High Foundation. Two-time champion Slava Medvedenko is selling his championship rings to support relief efforts in his native Ukraine.Īuction is now live.

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. SCP Auctions is donating the entire final sale price of both rings to Medvedenko’s Fly High Foundation. Medvedenko was a power forward on the Lakers’ championship teams in 2001 and ’02, playing alongside Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O’Neal. LOS ANGELES (AP) - Former Los Angeles Lakers player Slava Medvedenko is selling his two NBA championship rings to raise money for his native Ukraine. Former Laker player Medvedenko will sell both his championship rings as part of his long-term goals to help his country.

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