NBA draft prospect Isaiah Austin has Marfan syndrome, a condition that will likely end his playing career.
Former Baylor star Isaiah Austin has been diagnosed with a serious medical condition and will not be able to pursue a career in the NBA, it was announced Sunday. The 20-year-old Austin, who had been projected as a late first-round pick, underwent a standard physical at the NBA combine where his EKG test revealed an abnormality. After additional genetic tests, results came back positive for Marfan syndrome.
The recommendation was that Austin, who is 7 foot 1, quit playing basketball immediately. "They said I wouldn't be able to play basketball anymore at a competitive level," Austin told ESPN's Holly Rowe. "They found the gene in my blood sample. They told me that my arteries in my heart are enlarged and that if I overwork myself and push too hard that my heart could rupture. The draft is four days away, and I had a dream that my name was going to be called."
