With Spanish player status: Real Madrid signs reinforcement from the NBA

Max Shulga signed a two-year contract today, Friday, with Real Madrid. The Ukrainian basketball player, who grew up in the youth department of the Spanish team Leon, left the NBA to join the renewed squad of Pedro Martinez, who was seeking perimeter shooting reinforcement following the departure of German player David Kramer to Crvena Zvezda Belgrade.

Shulga, a 24-year-old Ukrainian point guard and shooting guard standing 1.93 meters tall, recorded a strong season with the Maine Celtics, the affiliate team of the Boston Celtics in the NBA G League, averaging 15.7 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 6.7 assists.

This move is a positive development regarding the player quota, as Shulga is considered a product of the Spanish basketball system. He joins a roster that already includes Edy Tavares, Jaime Pradilla, Alberto Abalde, Sergio Llull, and Usman Garuba (who is likely to miss the upcoming season due to an Achilles tendon injury). Shulga’s status as a homegrown player stems from his arrival in Leon at age 11, accompanied by his father, international basketball referee Boris Shulga, and with the assistance of Leon-born referee Vicente Bulto.

Shulga played for the Colegio Leones youth department between 2014 and 2019. His impressive skill set attracted attention from American scouts, prompting him to accept the challenge of continuing his development overseas.

After excelling in American collegiate basketball at both the University of Utah and the University of Virginia, he fulfilled his dream of playing in the NBA with the Boston Celtics, following a trade from the Orlando Magic, who had selected him in the second round of the 2025 draft.

Currently participating in the Summer League with the Golden State Warriors, Shulga has now officially committed to Real Madrid through the summer of 2028.