Hryhoriy Khyzhniak, the ex-centre of Ukraine's national basketball team and, currently, the marketing director at BC Budivelnyk Kyiv, passed away at the age of 44.
According to unofficial sources, the cause of death was a heart attack.
Khyzhniak's professional basketball career spans more than 15 years. He played for several Ukrainian squads, and also for European teams, such as Žalgiris Kaunas, Pamesa Valencia, GS Peristeri, and Makedonikos. In 1997 and 2003, he played for the national team of Ukraine, as it performed in European championships in the respective years.
Standing at 2.16 meters tall, the Ukrainian was the EuroLeague blocks leader two consecutive times, in 2001 and 2002.
