Janis Timma Death: Basketball Star's Ex-Wife Anna Sedokova ...
Ukrainian singer and actor Anna Sedokova has spoken for the first time following the death of her ex-husband, basketball player Jānis Timma.
Latvian-born Timma, 32, was found Tuesday at the entrance of a residential property in Moscow, where he had recently relocated to play 3x3 basketball. Authorities have not yet released an official statement about the cause of his death.
Hours after news of Timma's passing began to circulate, Sedokova took to Instagram to share an emotional video in which he spoke of living through "hell."
"I have never understood how people who have this in their lives can record stories," Sedokova said in Russian as she wept in the seconds-long clip.
"But now I beg you, please, I have a child, he is small, he should not know anything," added the performer, whose divorce from Timma was reportedly finalized earlier this month.
Without sharing any specific details, Sedokova, who turned 42 on Monday, stated: "You have no idea what hell I have lived through over the last few years."
Reiterating her initial plea, she added: "I just have to save my child from this information. Please, I beg you not to share anything."
Who Was Jānis Timma?Born in Krāslava, Latvia, Timma was a basketball player who made numerous appearances for his country's national team.
After moving to Rīga in his teens, Timma joined the now-defunct ASK Rīga's youth system, going on to make appearances for the basketball club's senior team in the 2008-09 season. When ASK Rīga was dissolved the following year, he signed up with DSN Rīga, who he helped win the Latvian 2nd division in the 2009–10 season.
He made his debut with Liepājas Lauvas for the 2011–12 season, after which he signed a multi-year contract with Ventspils. At Ventspils, Timma led the team to the Baltic Basketball League championship. He also won the Finals MVP award.
During his second season with the team, Timma won his first Latvian League championship. Adding to his success, he was named the MVP of the playoffs.
His time at VEF Rīga from 2014 saw him scoop an MVP award for the 2015 Latvian Basketball League All-Star Game. In 2015, he was named the VTB United League Young Player of the Year. That season, he also won the the Latvian League championship with VEF Rīga.
Leaving Latvia, Timma signed with Russian team Zenit St. Petersburg. He also had brief stints at Spanish club Baskonia and Greece's Olympiacos before signing for EuroLeague club Khimki Moscow partway through the 2018–19 season.
Earlier this year, in February 2024, Timma signed with Monbus Obradoiro of Spain's Liga ACB. According to reports, he opted to sign for the team Alikson in October, to play in a tournament organized by Russian bookmaker Liga Stavok.
Did Jānis Timma Ever Play in the NBA?Timma's career saw him travel to a number of countries, including the U.S., where he declared for the 2013 NBA draft. This resulted in him being the last pick by the Memphis Grizzlies.
The Grizzlies traded his draft rights to the Orlando Magic in June 2015, in exchange for Luke Ridnour.
Timma was also a part of Magic's off-season NBA Summer League team in Las Vegas in 2021. In his debut appearance for the team, he scored 11 points.
Who Is Jānis Timma's Ex-Wife Anna Sedokova and How Many Children Did They Have?Sedokova is a singer, actor, and TV personality who first rose to prominence in 2002 as a member of the Ukrainian pop group Nu Virgos.
She married Timma in 2020. Their divorce was finalized in 2024. While they did not have any children together, Sedokova is a mother of three children—two girls and a boy—from previous relationships.
Sharing a video on Instagram last month on Russian Mother's Day, which is celebrated on the last Sunday of November, Sedokova said: "I do not know of greater happiness than to be a mother. Somehow it turned out that I started my journey early).
"But in each difficult minute, I felt the strongest support all the time. And I understood that I can do everything. Even though I'm not with my girls now, I love them infinitely. And I know it's very mutual.
"Happy Mother's Day my beloved girls! Strength to us, patience and great mutual love. I love you very much my superwomen."
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741 741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
