Ludovic Vaty retires at 24 over health issues

One of French Basketball’s rising stars, Ludovic Vaty, has been forced to call time on his career at just 24-years old. The decision to end his career prematurely came after doctors discovered a medical condition his agent confirmed.

“It is with great sorrow that I announce the end of the career of Mr Ludovic Vaty because of medical reasons,” Olivier Mazet wrote in a press release.

“A heart condition has been detected that makes it impossible for him to practice sport at a high level.”

The center has been playing with Gravelines Dunkerque in the French ProA where he had just completed his second season with the club. The Frenchman’s versatility and athleticism had put him in place as one of France’s top Basketball prospects and this season in the Eurochallenge he averaged 12.7ppg and 5.5rpg over 16 games as he helped his team reach the semi-finals.

In the ProA averages of 11 points and 6.3 rebounds per game also proved a huge boost to a Gravelines team that would eventually top the ProA Regular Season. It has been such a campaign of promise that Ludovic Vaty finished third in the French Player of the Year vote, but that promise has now ended with the news that the 24-year old will never play pro Basketball again.

“This is a terrible heartbreak for a player of 24 years of age who comes out of the best season in his career with BCM Gravelines Dunkerque, with which he participated in the EuroChallenge Final Four in 2013 and won the Leaders Cup (and the MVP award of the competition),” Mazet’s statement continues.

“Such performances made him a potential candidate to the French national team for EuroBasket 2013 in Slovenia.”

In fact a berth in the French national team squad for Eurobasket 2013 in September was looking increasingly likely for Ludovic Vaty, especially after Washington Wizards center Kevin Seraphin pulled out of the competition. A nine time appearance maker for the full national squad, Vaty looked certain to fill Seraphin’s place in the team, but his heart condition has ended any future he has on the court. However, the one piece of good news for Vaty and his fans is that the player is according to the statement in normal health and is not in any immediate risk.