Artem Pustovyi Announces Retirement from Ukrainian National Team
Ukrainian basketball player Artem Pustovyi has announced his retirement from the Ukrainian national team. He made this difficult decision public on March 2nd, following a match against Spain.
"I love the national team and playing for it, but I felt the time had come," Pustovyi stated.
Pustovyi's international career spanned 58 games for Ukraine, featuring in major tournaments. His key achievements include:
- Participation in the 2013 EuroBasket championship;
- Playing in the 2014 FIBA Basketball World Cup;
- Taking part in the qualification campaigns for the 2019 and 2023 World Cups.
His club career began with Khimik (Yuzhny) before he moved to Spain in 2015 to play for Obradoiro until 2018. He then played for FC Barcelona from 2018 to 2022. Subsequently, he played for Gran Canaria, Murcia, a return to Obradoiro, Badalona, and Andorra. He also played for the Indonesian club Satria Muda Pertamina on a two-year contract.
Pustovyi ranks among Ukraine's top ten basketball players in rebounds, points scored, and games played. During his career, he was coached by notable figures such as Joan Plaza and Gianluca Pascual at Andorra, and Svetislav Pešić and Šarūnas Jasikevičius at Barcelona.
The context of the national team's operations changed dramatically with Russia's full-scale invasion. On February 24, 2022, the team was playing a World Cup qualifier against Spain. Since the war began, the team has been forced to play its home games in Riga, Latvia. Pustovyi recalled the start of the war:
"I woke up in the morning and saw the first message from a friend: the war had begun."He described the first two to three months as a period of euphoria, but his decision to retire from the national team marks a significant personal step.
Pustovyi's retirement underscores the profound challenges facing Ukrainian sports during the ongoing war and the team's ongoing transformation. His contributions to both the national team and international basketball will be remembered by fans and may open opportunities for younger players aspiring to represent Ukraine. He stands as a symbol of resilience and dedication, potentially inspiring future generations of Ukrainian athletes.