Marfan Syndrome Diagnosis Ends NBA Dream Of Isaiah Austin

Marfan Syndrome Diagnosis Ends NBA Dream Of Isaiah Austin

The potential NBA career of Isaiah Austin was shelved after he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome recently. This was announced by Baylor, which revealed that the pre-draft process of the NBA Prospect.

Scott Drew, coach of Baylor, said it was devastating but the entire Baylor nation is supporting the player. It is the best support system for the player and his health of Austin is most vital thing. Although he lost the opportunity to show his skills in the NBA, they are hoping Austin will return to Baylor and complete his college degree and become a coach in the program, Drew added.

A genetic mutation can lead to the Marfan syndrome, which can cause connective tissue problems all over the body. One effect of the disease is an enlarged aorta, according to the website of Baylor. This condition is considered life-threatening.

Austin revealed during his sophomore year he had a detached retina that resulted to partial blindness. He has been playing with a prosthetic right eye throughout his career. Despite this condition, the player has averaged around 12 points, 7 rebounds and 2 blocks in the past two years. He has played a total of 73 games during this period.

Last April, Austin decided to give up the rest of his college career around five days prior to the deadline for early entries. The player wanted to join the NBA when he was a freshman. However, he was not able to doing so due to a torn labrum. The condition prevented him from going through the pre-draft process.

Austin was considered as a top high school prospect as well as an exceptional college player before the news came out. Five days before the scheduled 2014 NBA Draft, he was diagnosed with the Marfan syndrome that ended his NBA career before it started.

Posted by Andre Monohan on Tuesday June 24 2014, 2:58 AM EST. Ref: Sporting News. Link. All trademarks acknowledged. Filed under Featured News. Comments and Trackbacks closed. Follow responses: RSS 2.0