By Eurohoops team/ info@eurohoops.net
The news about Janis Timma’s death sent shockwaves throughout the basketball world with clubs and former teammates joining in the mourning.
Olympiacos‘ captain, Kostas Papanikolaou, was asked about the issue during the media day before the upcoming game against Virtus Bologna and shared his thoughts.
Papanikolaou had been Timma’s teammate for half a season, when he signed with Olympiacos, arguably the biggest club in his career.
“These situations are very sad, they go beyond basketball”, said the Greek forward. “Janis was an extraordinary kid, very quiet, approachable, and smiling. Unfortunately, we cannot know what everyone goes through in their lives, and many times, they are behind closed doors. we cannot know what burden each person carries, whether he is a successful basketball player or does any other job.
Mental health is very important and has nothing to do with money, prestige, what you are as a person, or what you have achieved in life. Let us all be careful, as we said with the team doctor, when you have a problem, share it and channel it elsewhere. Share your difficulties with your people. Condolences to his family.”
Many other EuroLeague players have send messages on social media about the importance of mental health and the EuroLeague games will start with a moment of silence in Timma’s memory.