“Death is not the opposite of life, but a part of it.” For the basketball world, the quote by Japanese writer Haruki Murakami would resonate more prominently today than before. After all, enthusiasts of the ball sport are united today in paying tribute to Latvian small forward Janis Timma, who passed away in Moscow. Just 32 years of age, the reportedly premature death of the athlete continues to be investigated. Though fans may not know everything at this point, it still has not stopped them from honoring the legacy that the baller created for himself.

Yesterday, the official PR account of the Orlando Magic put out a statement from the DeVos family. The franchise has been under the control of the family since 1991. Though Janis Timma never played for any of the main NBA franchises, his draft rights were traded to the Orlando Magic, in exchange for Luke Ridnour, back in 2015.

Timma did play briefly for Lakeland Magic, the G-League affiliate of the Orlando Magic. Therefore, though his time was brief, it is a sad day whenever a team had to bid adieu to one of their own. Highlighting this in their statement, the DeVos family wrote, “Our thoughts and condolences go out to his family and all that were close to him”.

The DeVos family wasn’t the only one who chose to hand out their tributes. Before long, others joined in to honor the Latvian player, too.

How did fans pay tribute to Janis Timma in the aftermath of his untimely death?

One fan wrote “WTF MAN! I was so hyped with him during that summer league a couple of years ago. Very sad news. RIP Janis.”

This is a developing story.