Baller flees Ukraine, heading to Invercargill
Winston Shepard describes Odessa, Ukraine as normal as you could get prior to February 24.
The American basketballer had been in the country for a couple of months playing professionally in the Ukrainian Basketball SuperLeague.
He was aware of the speculation brewing outside of Ukraine around the prospect of Russia launching an attack.
Although Shepard says his teammates, and other Ukrainians for that matter, were less than concerned prior to February 24.
They went about their everyday lives, planning for the next basketball training and the next game.
‘‘It was about as normal as you could think. The sun was shining, beautiful days, restaurants open, barbershops open, it was life as you would normally expect it.’’
That sense of normality quickly turned to panic with one loud boom.
Shepard was awoken at 5am on February 24 as Russia launched a missile attack on Ukraine – Odessa included.
Thoughts of basketball quickly turned to getting out of Ukraine and to safety.
The 28-year-old had an hour’s notice to pack as he was quickly shuffled into a car which-speed towards the Romanian border. He then trained to Bucharest, flew to Istanbul, Turkey, before taking another flight to home in Houston, United States.
‘‘I just really feel blessed to have been able to get out of there safe and sound.’’
Like many throughout the world Shepard has since followed the media coverage closely around what has unfolded in Ukraine with horror.
He hasn’t spoken to any of his former teams in Ukraine since he fled. He expects they will be at the centre of the conflict.
‘‘If I understand it correctly basically any man over 18 is expected to go and fight for the country,’’ Shepard said.
‘‘I just hope for the best for them and their family’s safety. I don’t think any of us can imagine what they would be going through.’’
Soon after returning to Houston, with his Ukraine contract cut short, Shepard started to think what next?
Basketball is his job, it’s how he makes a living.
His agent went about scouring the world again for prospective assignments before the Southland Sharks in New Zealand came calling.
‘‘I had other offers around the world but turned them down waiting for the right option and once coach Bevo [Sharks coach Rob Beveridge] reached out and we had a couple of discussions I thought it might be something that might make sense for me.’’
Beveridge was delighted to land Shepard’s signature. ‘‘We looked at a number of imports and you’ve got to do your due diligence and when I came across Winston’s video I immediately thought, he’s the guy, he’s the one we want.’’
Shepard is expected to arrive in Invercargill next week, with the prospect of lining up for the Sharks as early as the Southland-Hawke’s Bay showdown at ILT Stadium Southland on Thursday.
He isn’t completely foreign to New Zealand given he played for the Canterbury Rams in the New Zealand Basketball League in 2018.
He averaged 18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and led the league in steals during that season with the Rams. He was named in the NZNBL All-Star Five as a result.
Shepard was looking forward to a return to ILT Stadium Southland, this time wearing the orange singlet of the Sharks. ‘‘I do remember the gym being nice.’’