Ukrainian basketball player Katerina (Kate) Koval confirmed that her decision to leave the Louisiana State University (LSU) team, where Shaquille O'Neal began his career, was due to the arrival of Russian athlete Anna Minaeva. Earlier, the NCAA American Student League club linked the situation to Koval’s “personal circumstances”, without specifying details.
The LSU Tigers team announced in August the arrival of 17-year-old Minaeva, who previously began playing at the adult level in Russia for the MBA club. The 6'5″ (195 cm) girls play similar positions of center or power forward.
The 20-year-old Ukrainian confirmed on Wednesday, September 2, on the social network Instagram that she planned to continue playing for the team in the new season, but the signing of the Russian after the closure of the transfer window “personally affected” her. With her father serving in the Ukrainian military, Koval said she wondered if LSU was “the right place” to pursue a career.
“It was not an easy decision. “I understand that roster formation is part of college basketball, but I need to remain honest with myself, follow my values and support my country,” said the Ukrainian basketball player.
Koval added that she hopes to continue her career in the NCAA and will have the opportunity to play for another university in the new season. LSU and the NCAA have not yet commented on the Ukrainian’s statements. The basketball player has already changed teams after her first season in the United States, which she spent for the University of Notre Dame in Indiana.
She didn’t want to become an “ambassador” of friendship between Russia and Ukraine
As The Advocate noted in August, Koval and Minaeva became the first representatives of Ukraine and Russia to be on the same roster in American college basketball. The coach of the LSU Tigers women's team, Kim Mulkey, told the publication at the time that she hoped to convince Koval to stay and become, together with the Russian, “ambassadors” of cooperation in the conflict. The Ukrainian woman told her that she “doubted” this possibility.
Malki emphasized that she decided to invite Minaeva solely for sporting reasons. The video of the game of the Russian woman, who will only turn 18 next year, also attracted the interest of a number of other women's NCAA coaches, The Advocate noted.
LSU prepares both women and men for adult basketball leagues in North America. NBA legends Shaquille O'Neal and Pete Maravich played for the Tigers men's team at different times. In 2024, O'Neal attended a game of his college's women's team and brought future WNBA star Angel Reese onto the court with her mother as part of a special ceremony.
