NBA star Janis Timma is found dead at bottom of Moscow apartment building on his ex-wife’s birthday – after facing backlash for playing in Putin’s Russia

Latvian basketball player Janis Timma has been found dead following a reported fall from an apartment building in Moscow. 

The 32-year-old, who played for the likes of Zenit Saint Petersburg and Olympiacos during a successful Euro League career, was found in the stairwell of a high-rise residential building, local reports have claimed. 

Timma’s untimely death came on the birthday of his ex-wife, Ukrainian singer and actor Anna Sedokova. Indeed, it has been reported that a phone with a message from Sedokova was found next to Timma when his body was discovered on Monday. 

The preliminary cause of death has been ruled as suicide. 

Timma and Sedokova, married in 2020, had filed for divorce earlier this year. A devastated Sedokova posted an emotional message on Instagram on Tuesday morning. 

The 6ft 7in small forward was selected by the Memphis Grizzlies with the 60th overall pick in 2013 NBA draft. He was later traded to the Orlando Magic, leading to an appearance at the 2021 NBA Summer League. 

The 32-year-old’s untimely death came on the birthday of his ex-wife, Ukrainian singer and actor Anna Sedokova

Local reports have claimed that a phone with a message from Sedokova was found next to TImma’s body

Timma also represented Latvia at several junior and senior tournaments and was part of the team that won a bronze medal in the 2010 FIBA U18 European Championship. He played a total of 35 matches for his national team since his 2014 debut and scored 338 points. 

More recently he faced backlash when he announced his intention to play professionally in Russia, despite the country’s ongoing invasion of Ukraine. His decision signalled the end of his international career as Latvian athletes are banned from participating in Russian sports events. 

‘It’s something interesting to me,’ he told Latvian outlet LSM in October. ‘[I] Thought why not give it a try?’

Timma struck a more forceful tone when responding to critics on Instagram after he announced that he would be competing in a tournament organised by the Russian bookmarker Liga Stavok. 

He wrote: ‘How useless you 99 per cent of my dear followers are. Leave my family alone at least. It’s my decision, and I don’t see anything wrong with it. I play basketball and live my life.’

As reports of Timma’s death began to circulate on social media there was disbelief from members of the NBA community, including Boston Celtics and Latvia star Kristaps Porzingis.

‘Oh nooo, please tell me it’s not true,’ he wrote on X following the initial reports. Porzingis later added: ‘Human connection is the cornerstone of our mental health. Please, let’s look after one another. Rest in peace, JT.’