Former Atlanta Hawks center is deeply involved in the Ukraine conflict
After six years and two championships with the Los Angeles Lakers, Stanislav Medvedenko played the 2006-07 season with the Atlanta Hawks. Unfortunately for the franchise, Medvedenko was unable to bring any of that championship success to the state of Georgia.
He is, however, one of the long lines of Hawks players who have been deeply involved in their community. Cam Reddish was big in the Atlanta community before being traded. So was Trae Young, the superstar that he is, who never forgot where he came from. This season he won the NBA community assist award for the month of February.
Medvedenko was not as prominent in the Hawks community, given that he only played one season there. He is certainly putting his country before himself as they battle to keep out the invading Russian army, trying to assist in any way that he can.
A Former Atlanta Hawks center is serving right on the front lines
Medvedev is stationed in Kyiv with the 128th separate battalion as a volunteer. As a former player, he could do nothing thanks to the money he earned. However, this means so much to the 43-year-old that he is digging holes for anti-tank mines among other jobs.
You also know how much this means to the seven-year veteran due to him trying to sell his two championship rings to help fund the war effort. This is huge, as basketball players work for their entire career to be a champion but Medvedev is fully committed to the cause of his country.
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The Lakers have said that they will replace the rings, which is admirable, but Medvedev would have sold them without them being replaced. While Medvedev only played one season for the Hawks, it is this sort of commitment to the wider world which leaves an imprint on the culture of a franchise. We have nothing but good wishes for Medvedev and the rest of the Ukrainian people.