Former Orlando Magic G League player Janis Timma has died of an apparent suicide, according to Russian media.
He was 32.
The Magic announced Timma’s passing on Tuesday morning.
The Latvian forward — who never made it to the NBA and spent most of his career overseas — was found dead in a residential building in central Moscow on Monday, according to Russian media.
“The body of 32-year-old Janis Timma was discovered in the entrance hall of an apartment building in downtown Moscow. According to unconfirmed reports, the cause of death was a suicide,” an unnamed emergency official told Russian News Agency, TASS, adding that a cell phone was found near Timma’s body.
Ren TV channel reported that the phrase “call Anya” appeared on Timma’s phone.
Anya is reportedly the nickname of Timma’s ex-wife, Russian-Ukrainian singer Anna Sedokova, who filed for divorce earlier this year.
The ex-couple, who did not have children together, were married for four years and their divorce was reportedly finalized earlier this month.
Sedokova, who turned 42 on Monday, broke down in tears in a video posted to her Instagram Story on Tuesday.
“I have never understood how people who have this in their lives can record stories,” Sedokova said in Russian in the clip, per Newsweek. “But now I beg you, please, I have a child, he is small, he should not know anything.
“You have no idea what hell I have lived through over the last few years. I just have to save my child from this information. Please, I beg you not to share anything.”
Sedokova did not share any further details.
As of Monday, an official cause of death has not been disclosed.
According to the Baza Telegram news channel, Timma died from asphyxiation.
In February, Timma signed with the Monbus Obradoiro of the Liga ACB league.
“Rest in Peace JT,” Celtics center Kristaps Porzingis, who is a fellow Latvian forward, wrote on his Instagram Story, including an image of Timma.
John Hollinger, a senior NBA columnist for The Athletic — and former VP of basketball operations for the Memphis Grizzlies — expressed his condolences in a message on X.
“Just heard about Janis Timma. Damn,” Hollinger wrote. “We drafted him 60th in 2013 and I got to spend some time with him in Latvia while we had his rights. Never made it to NBA but had a great career in Europe. Talked with him at Summer League two years ago and seemed like he was doing well. RIP my friend.”
Timma played for BC Zenit St. Petersburg and BC Khimki between 2015 and 2021, and both clubs expressed condolences on social media.
Timma was a member of Orlando’s Summer League team in 2021 and spent time with Lakeland (now Osceola) of the NBA G League in 2021-22.
“Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and all that were close to him,” the Magic said in a statement.
