Very sad news in the world of European and international basketball. Aged 32, Janis Timma was found dead on Monday in Moscow, several media and the Russian news agency TASS announced. According to the latter, he fell from a significant height in circumstances which have yet to be made official. The winger had played for a year in the G-League in 2021/22 with the Osceola Magic team, affiliated with Orlando, but had mainly made a name for himself in Europe and the Latvian national team. In particular, he had faced the French team on several occasions.
A very good shooter and part of the Latvian selection, Janis Timma did not make an impression in the NBA lobby, playing 20 games for lackluster statistics (6.4 points, 3.4 rebounds).
Almost ten years earlier, he was the last draftee in the 2013 Draft, selected by the Grizzlies with the 60th pick. He had made more of a name for himself on the Old Continent, playing in the Euroleague five times with Baskonia, Olympiakos, Khimki Moscow and UNICS Kazan.
Mental health problems
He shared his 2023/24 season between the Turkish club Darussafaka and Monbus Obradoiro, in Spain. Without a club, he had signed up in recent weeks with a private Russian 3×3 team, closing the doors to the Latvian selection.
His compatriot Kristaps Porzingis reacted to the news overnight, pleading https://twitter.com/kporzee/status/1868891038561210578 so that the information “is not true”before confirming the death of Janis Timma.
https://twitter.com/kporzee/status/1868912330740056412 evokes the subject of mental health, while Janis Timma had expressed her sorrow in recent weeks, in particular evoking suicidal thoughts. “ Human connection is the keystone of our mental health. Please look out for each other. Rest in peace JT. »
Other players, like the Frenchman Vincent Poitier, who worked with him at Baskonia, also reacted to this death.
Belgium
