Slava Medvedenko, a member of the 2001 and 2002 NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers teams, announced that he is auctioning off his championship rings to support Ukraine amid the Russian war. Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant led the Lakers to a championship in 2000 over the Indiana Pacers. The year after that, Medvedenko joined the Lakers for the second and third years of their three-peat, defeating the Philadelphia 76ers and the New Jersey Nets respectively.

The rings will be auctioned off by one of the world leaders in sports memorabilia auctions, SCP Auctions. SCP Auctions is donating the entire final sale price of both rings to Medvedenko's Fly High Foundation.

The Sky High Foundation supports Ukrainian children by creating infrastructure for schools and athletics. Slava Medvedenko informed the Associated Press by phone his decision.

“We want to restore gyms because the Russian army bombed more than a hundred schools… 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 former Lakers forward said.

“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.”

Ukraine has continued to fight off the Russian invasion five months ago Sunday. The Ukrainian will and resolve as a people has shown an unbelievable amount of courage to the rest of the world. Medvedenko is clearly doing his part.