The Ukrainian basketball player left the American club after signing of the Russian

Ukrainian center Ekaterina Koval has left the Louisiana State Tigers (LSU) American basketball club after the team signed a contract with 17-year-old Russian Anna Minaeva. This was announced on August 25 by team coach Kim Malki.

"We talked about it for a long time, and it was a difficult decision for her. I know it's hard because she loves LSU," the New York Post quoted Malka as saying.

The coach added that she saw Minaeva and Koval as "ambassadors of peace" who could potentially end the conflict by playing on the same court for the same team, but now this is not going to happen.

Last season, Koval averaged 8.3 points and 6.3 rebounds per game (the action in which a player takes possession of the ball after a failed shot attempt), while Minaeva, who played for the Moscow club MBAH-MGUSiT, averaged 11.2 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.

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