Anatolij Kovtun

Anatolij Kovtun (31 December 1960 – 22 February 2005) was a Ukrainian basketball player and a member of the Soviet Union national basketball team. He won the Soviet championship twice, with CSKA Moscow and BC Budivelnyk Kyiv, and the Icelandic championship once with KR.

Early life Kovtun grew up in Simferopol where he started playing basketball.

Playing career Kovtun joined Úrvalsdeild karla club KR in 1989, under head coach László Németh, becoming the first Soviet player to play for an Icelandic team. in the FIBA Korać Cup which was, according to FIBA, the first time an American and a Soviet player played together in the Cup. In the Úrvalsdeild, Kovtun averaged 16.9 points and 11.0 rebounds and helped KR to its first national championship in 11 years. He died on 22 February 2005 at the age of 44.

Personal life Kovtun was married to Natalia Kovtun and together they had two daughters. His older daughter, Mariia Kovtun, played college basketball for Lamar University and Texas Woman's University, and professionally in Europe.