A piece of disappointing news about the demise of a former Ukrainian national team player has recently clouded the world of basketball with sadness. Ruslan Otverchenko, a superstar from the Ukrainian basketball league recently passed away from heart complications. Otverchenko took his last breath on January 15 in Ukraine’s capital Kyiv. The 33-year-old basketball star’s demise has united NBA and European basketball fans during a tough time for the sports world.

Ruslan Otverchenko tried his luck at the 2012 NBA Drafts. However, he remained undrafted in the picks and subsequently played for various leagues in Ukraine and Spain. In fact, he was the top scorer in the Ukrainian league at one point in time. In addition, the late-basketball star also represented his country in EuroBasket 2017. As the news about Otverchenko spread, the NBA and European basketball fans came together to mourn the loss of a talented athlete.

Saddening news leaves NBA and European Basketball fans dejected

SportHub Media’s Oleksandr Proshuta reported in his recent tweet, “Former Ukraine NT shooting guard Ruslan Otverchenko died today at the age of 33. He was top-scorer of Ukrainian league, champion of Ukraine, played for Spanish Manresa and other clubs. Started for Ukraine NT at Eurobasket-2017. Trully shocking news. RIP.”

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The recent revelation from the Ukrainian journalist sent shockwaves among the NBA and European basketball fans, who expressed their sadness in the comments. One of the fans wrote, “No words. He was too young. My condolences to his family. May his soul rest in peace…”

Many fans expressed their concerns about the news and shared their sorrowful responses. Here are some other reactions from the fans.

The Basketball fandom on Twitter seemed to be drowned in sadness after hearing about the loss of a reputed player in the sport. Fans could not help but come together to express their grief and pray for Ruslan Otverchenko’s family during such a difficult time.

Otverchenko’s basketball career

After being rejected by the NBA in 2012, Ruslan Otverchenko dedicated most of his time to the Ukrainian league until 2015. He also played for a Spanish basketball club named BAXI Manresa during the 2015-16 season.

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Moreover, the 33-year-old also represented the Ukrainian National team at the EuroBasketball in 2017. In six appearances, Ruslan averaged 4.3 points per game for his country. Thus, the news about the passing of Otverchenko left basketball fans dejected as they prayed for his fans and loved ones.