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The inspiring story of Isaiah Austin, the man who captured our hearts when he was made the honorary NBA draft pick after a shocking diagnosis ended his professional basketball career before he could even step onto the court."There are two choices in life: you make it your excuse or you make it your story." Isaiah Austin's mother shared these words of wisdom with him as a child as he came to terms with a torn retina taking away the ability to see with his right eye. Faced with adversity at such a young age, Isaiah had to choose - let his disability define him or overcome the challenge and shine. Overcoming that challenge is exactly what Isaiah did as he made a name for himself on Baylor University's NCAA Division 1 basketball team. Everyone expected Isaiah to have a successful career in the NBA after college, but on June 21, 2014 - just five days before the NBA draft - Austin was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a genetic disorder that affects the body's connective tissue, putting him at risk of rupturing his heart if he continued to play basketball.



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