Those who were hoping to be able to obtain a jersey of the Lithuanian selection flocked “Russello” will be disappointed. Contrary to what some Lithuanian media claimed, the naturalization of D'Angelo Russell is in fact not an option considered by the Baltic country, its federation wanted to clarify.
In a press release published this Tuesdaythe LTU assures that it has “not has not initiated any naturalization procedures and has not been in contact with Russell himself regarding this matter..
The body specifies that the question is not so much from a basketball point of view, while many European selections call on naturalized American players: Anthony Randolph then Mike Tobey with the Slovenia of Luka Doncic, the regular of Betclic Elite AJ Slaughter who has been playing for several years with Poland, or a few years ago Bo McCalebb sparkling at the Euro with Macedonia.
Extinguish the controversies?
“ It is above all a legal subject » says LTU president Mindaugas Balciunas. “ The Lithuanian Citizenship Law clearly defines the exceptional circumstances that allow a foreigner to apply for a Lithuanian passport. It can only be granted by the President of the Republic. To date, there is no justification that could allow Mr. Russell to obtain this exception. »
Except that it is precisely because Gitanas Nausėda, the president of the country's republic, hinted that he was ready to consider naturalizations of athletes, that the track D'Angelo Russell, in a relationship with the model Laura Ivaniukas, of Lithuanian origin, seemed serious.
The press release from the federation in any case calms things down, and the controversies, while Lithuania is one of the three European countries (with Serbia and Latvia) to have never naturalized a basketball player for its selection.
| D'Angelo Russell | Percentage | Rebounds | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | MJ | Min | Shots | 3pts | L.F. | Off | Def | Early | Pd | Party | Int | Bp | Ct | Pts |
| 2015-16 | LAL | 80 | 28 | 41.0 | 35.1 | 73.7 | 0.6 | 2.8 | 3.4 | 3.3 | 1.8 | 1.2 | 2.5 | 0.2 | 13.2 |
| 2016-17 | LAL | 63 | 29 | 40.5 | 35.2 | 78.2 | 0.5 | 3.0 | 3.5 | 4.8 | 2.1 | 1.4 | 2.8 | 0.3 | 15.6 |
| 2017-18 | BRK | 48 | 26 | 41.4 | 32.4 | 74.0 | 0.6 | 3.3 | 3.9 | 5.2 | 1.9 | 0.8 | 3.1 | 0.4 | 15.5 |
| 2018-19 | BRK | 81 | 30 | 43.4 | 36.9 | 78.0 | 0.7 | 3.2 | 3.9 | 7.0 | 1.7 | 1.2 | 3.1 | 0.2 | 21.1 |
| 2019-20 * | All Teams | 45 | 32 | 42.6 | 36.7 | 80.9 | 0.4 | 3.6 | 3.9 | 6.3 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 3.3 | 0.3 | 23.1 |
| 2019-20 * | GOS | 33 | 32 | 43.0 | 37.4 | 78.5 | 0.4 | 3.3 | 3.7 | 6.2 | 1.9 | 0.9 | 3.1 | 0.3 | 23.6 |
| 2019-20 * | MIN | 12 | 33 | 41.2 | 34.5 | 87.3 | 0.2 | 4.3 | 4.6 | 6.6 | 1.8 | 1.4 | 3.8 | 0.3 | 21.7 |
| 2020-21 | MIN | 42 | 29 | 43.1 | 38.7 | 76.5 | 0.4 | 2.3 | 2.6 | 5.8 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 19.0 |
| 2021-22 | MIN | 65 | 32 | 41.1 | 34.0 | 82.5 | 0.4 | 2.9 | 3.3 | 7.1 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.5 | 0.3 | 18.1 |
| 2022-23 * | All Teams | 71 | 33 | 46.9 | 39.6 | 82.9 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.0 | 6.2 | 2.0 | 1.0 | 2.6 | 0.4 | 17.8 |
| 2022-23 * | MIN | 54 | 33 | 46.5 | 39.1 | 85.6 | 0.5 | 2.5 | 3.1 | 6.2 | 2.2 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.4 | 17.9 |
| 2022-23 * | LAL | 17 | 31 | 48.4 | 41.4 | 73.5 | 0.4 | 2.5 | 2.9 | 6.1 | 1.4 | 0.6 | 2.3 | 0.5 | 17.4 |
| 2023-24 | LAL | 76 | 33 | 45.6 | 41.5 | 82.8 | 0.4 | 2.7 | 3.1 | 6.3 | 2.1 | 0.9 | 2.1 | 0.5 | 18.0 |
| 2024-25 | LAL | 16 | 27 | 38.2 | 28.9 | 93.1 | 0.3 | 1.9 | 2.2 | 5.0 | 1.8 | 0.9 | 1.7 | 0.2 | 11.2 |
| Total | 587 | 30 | 42.9 | 36.8 | 79.5 | 0.5 | 2.9 | 3.4 | 5.7 | 1.9 | 1.1 | 2.7 | 0.3 | 17.6 | |
How to read the stats? MJ = matches played; Min = Minutes; Shots = Successful shots / Attempted shots; 3pts = 3-points / 3-points attempted; LF = free throws made / free throws attempted; Off = offensive rebound; Def=defensive rebound; Tot = Total rebounds; Pd = assists; Fte: Personal fouls; Int = Intercepts; Bp = Lost balls; Ct: Against; Pts = Points.
