FIBA bans Ukrainian NBA player amid major debt dispute
Photo: Maksym Shulga (x.com/celtics)
The International Basketball Federation (FIBA) has imposed a transfer ban on Ukrainian shooting guard of the Boston Celtics, Maksym Shulga, according to the organization’s official website.
Why Shulga was sanctioned
The sanctions were imposed due to Shulga's debt to the Italian agency Sigma Srl, which is certified by the international federation. The total amount owed by the player exceeds 200,000 USD.
In 2022, Shulga signed an agreement with the agency to represent his interests and secure new contracts.
In May 2024, after four seasons with the Virginia Rams, Shulga expressed a desire to change teams. Sigma Srl arranged his transfer to another collegiate team — the Villanova Wildcats. This contract was expected to bring the Ukrainian player about 900,000 USD, from which payments to the agents were to be made.
However, Shulga did not play a single game for Villanova — just a few weeks later, he returned to Virginia and stopped making payments to the agency.
Following this, the Italian company filed a lawsuit with the Basketball Arbitration Tribunal, which ruled in favor of the agency.
According to the court’s decision, in addition to the main debt of $ 180,000, the amount is subject to a 5% annual penalty.
Additionally, Shulga must compensate Sigma Srl 9,000 euros in arbitration costs and 11,500 euros in other expenses related to the case.
What the transfer ban means
Until the full debt is repaid, FIBA has prohibited the basketball player from signing contracts with any team operating under the federation’s umbrella.
It is noted that the transfer ban applies only to clubs within FIBA’s structure. Since Shulga has a valid contract with the Boston Celtics and plays in the NBA, the sanctions currently do not affect his career in the United States.
However, any potential move to European or international clubs will be impossible until he resolves his financial obligations.
Shulga in Boston: What’s known
As a reminder, Shulga was selected in the 2025 NBA Draft with the 57th overall pick in the second round by the Orlando Magic, who then traded him to Boston.
Before the 2025/26 season, Shulga signed a two-way contract with the Celtics, allowing him to split time between the G League (formerly the Development League) and limited appearances for the NBA team.
