Mike Stobe/Getty Images(NEW YORK) — In an emotional moment, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver announced that former Baylor star Isaiah Austin was drafted by the league during Thursday night’s draft. Austin, who was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome last weekend, was forced to give up his dream of playing in the NBA, so the draft announcement was ceremonial.
Marfan syndrome effects the connective tissue within the body that can cause severe damage to the heart. The illness was discovered as part of Austin’s physical in preparation for the draft.
“For Commissioner Silver to even invite me here was a tremendous blessing and it just shows how much class that man has,” Austin said. “It’s really been a tough week for me, and it’s been really rough. I’ve just had a tremendous amount of support from everybody around the world, telling me they’re praying for me and everything.”
Austin averaged 13 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.7 blocks per game in 35 contests with Baylor. The 7’1″ forward also revealed this year that he was playing with a prosthetic right eye after multiple surgeries to repair a detached retina suffered years ago proved to be unsuccessful.
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