His name is Isaiah Austin, a 21-year-old former Baylor Bear playing the center position. Austin was considered to be a first-round draft pick by many in the basketball world. Austin was named to the 2014 Big 12 All-Defensive team, with season averages of 11.2 points, 5.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists, and 3.1 blocks per game. After completing his sophomore year, he decided to declare himself eligible for the NBA draft. He was invited to participate in the combine, and like his peers, he readied himself to prove he was worthy of being an NBA player. Routine testing halted all of that though.
After learning of the of the devastating diagnosis given to Mr. Austin, NBA commissioner Adam Silver invited him to attend the draft as a special guest. In an unprecedented move, Silver drafted Austin to the NBA. He was chosen as the NBA’s draft pick. Though he can no longer play, Austin was able to have his draft moment. He got to walk on stage and shake Commissioner Silver's hand who adorned his head with a draft day-cap, all while he was cheered on by his peers and fans alike. Isaiah Austin was a first-round draft pick, just as his skill and basketball experts had predicted.
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