Isaiah Austin Baylor Basketball player

[Dawg61]

was just a week away from getting drafted in the 1st round and now doctors are telling him he can't play anymore because of a rare condition. He's a very talented player and has already overcome being blind in one eye. Is it not his choice to take on the risk of playing? Would you stop playing? I wouldn't. What would you do? Thoughts?

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/baylors-isaiah-austin-loses-nba-dream-to-heart-issue-marfan-syndrome/

[DudyDawg]

Is the disease life threatening? If so, and if playing could make it worse or something, yes. If not, well that's tough. I probably would stop yet still be involved in the game. Guarantee he could get a GA job at Baylor or something and get into coaching. If the doctors say don't play, I would probably listen and just coach or something. No point losing your life over it. But I don't know much about the disease so maybe he could play

[TheRef]

NBA and Team doctors have basically said there's no chance that they will take him. It's a connective tissue disorder. This is where the road ends for him. It sucks. He was a helluva player at Baylor. He was already playing with one blind eye.

[dickiedawg]

It really is heartbreaking. You know he feels like everything he's worked for his whole life has been torn right from his hands at the last minute.
On the other hand, it sounds like he could have dropped dead without notice if they hadn't found it. In a way he's very fortunate.

[starkvegasdawg]

Yeah, I just did a quick look on webmd. Looks like it weakens your heart and aorta. I would think vigorous phyiscal exercise which really increased blood flow may cause a severe risk of rupture and him dying on the court during a game. Not worth the risk for him or for a team to draft him.

[DudyDawg]

It really is heartbreaking. You know he feels like everything he's worked for his whole life has been torn right from his hands at the last minute.
On the other hand, it sounds like he could have dropped dead without notice if they hadn't found it. In a way he's very fortunate.

Yeah, one of the cruelest and best things at the same time. An ultimate blessing in disguise. Really hope for him that he finds a way to stay in the game. Saw some pieces on ESPN about him during the tourney and he seemed like a really good kid.

[Dawg61]

I get that the NBA is not going to draft him because they don't want a player dying on the court but it seems like that is highly unlikely. What would you do though? Would you play overseas if a team in Italy or somewhere offered you a contract for $2 mill a year? Again, I would at least for a couple years and then I would pursue being a coach or something else. He's not going to die on the court in the next 5 years and probably never would. "You can get killed walking your doggie".

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UdHSPwj4SC4/UhXrzVsrCeI/AAAAAAAAAHc/A5YJt1KLIJY/s1600/Al-Pacino-Heat.jpg

[thf24]

Guarantee he could get a GA job at Baylor or something and get into coaching.

I read somewhere yesterday that he's already been offered a coaching position (probably GA) at Baylor.

[hacker]

His heart can rupture from competitive basketball. He's done.

And yes, I'd quit if the doctor told me my heart would rupture and no team was going to draft me.

[DudyDawg]

I read somewhere yesterday that he's already been offered a coaching position (probably GA) at Baylor.

That is what i would do then

[MetEdDawg]

I don't know about the rest of you, but I didn't realize that genetic testing was part of the pre draft stuff that went on. Not to get into a philosophical debate, but I'm not sure how I feel about that.

I mean there are huge benefits, like obviously in this situation. Although Austin is just completely broken after this, this testing quite possibly saved his life because Marfan's Syndrome is potentially deadly, especially with what he would be doing for a career in basketball in terms of physical exercise.

But does anyone else find it a little off that every team has access to his genetic makeup during the process? I mean what happens when genetics becomes more of an exact science and we can link specific genes to more susceptibility to become overweight, or to be more prone to violent tendencies. Do you start drafting based on genetic markers? Like I said, I understand why they do it. Teams are making investments in kids and their future depends upon how these kids produce over their careers. But something just rubs me the wrong way about all teams having access to someone's genetic makeup. That should be something done in the interview process that is kept between the player and the teams that evaluate, interview, and work him out in my opinion.