A Latvian professional basketball player was found dead inside a residential building in Moscow.
According to The Moscow Times, an unnamed emergency official said Janis Timma, 32, was found deceased inside the entrance of the building.
“According to the official, the preliminary cause of death was suicide,” the outlet noted.
Timma was the #60 overall pick of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies and played in the 2021 Summer League for the Orlando Magic.
RIP former NBA player Janis Timma Timma was the 2013 #60 overall pick for Memphis and played in the 2021 Summer League for Orlando & 16 seasons as a professional overseas. He passed away at age 32 after an apparent suicide in Russia. pic.twitter.com/O4W7pf3ZnJ
— Basketball Forever (@bballforever_) December 17, 2024
From The Moscow Times:
It was not immediately clear why Timma may have committed suicide, but the emergency official told TASS that a phone containing his “final wish” was found beside his body. An unnamed source told the Ren TV channel that the phrase “call Anya” appeared on his phone.
Anya is the nickname of Russian-Ukrainian pop star and Timma’s ex-wife Anna Sedokova, who announced this fall that she had filed for divorce after four years of marriage and celebrated her 42nd birthday on Monday.
ADVERTISEMENTSedokova appeared on Instagram in tears on Tuesday to say her life had been “h***” in recent years and call on followers to help her shield the news of Timma’s death from her young children. Timma and Sedokova have children from previous marriages but not their own.
According to the Baza Telegram news channel, which has links to Russian law enforcement, Timma died from asphyxiation. Timma allegedly arrived in Moscow two days before Sedokova’s birthday and stopped at a hotel in central Moscow where he was later found dead.
The Orlando Magic expressed its condolences to Timma’s family and loved ones.
— Orlando Magic (@OrlandoMagic) December 17, 2024
Per USA TODAY:
The Orlando Magic, along with the entire basketball community, expressed their deep condolences on social media following the tragic death of Latvian basketball star and NBA player Janis Timma. His sudden passing has left a profound impact on the team and the fans.
Timma, a 6-foot-7 small forward, was selected in the second round of the 2013 NBA Draft by the Memphis Grizzlies. He was later traded to the Orlando Magic and participated in their summer league team in 2021. He also spent some time with the NBA G League team, Lakeland, now known as Osceola. Timma, with his eyes set on the future, had announced that he would continue his professional career in Russia.
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