By now, you’ve probably already heard the story of Isaiah Austin, the former Baylor star and NBA prospect who had his dreams of playing in the NBA crushed when he was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome just prior to this summer’s draft.
Though the genetic disorder ended Austin’s competitive playing days, there have been plenty of feel-good moments in the wake of the devastating news. Take, for instance, the big man’s handling of the diagnosis, which was incredibly wonderful and inspirational.
Then, at the NBA Draft this summer, the league used an honorary selection to recognize Austin and fulfill at least part of his dream of hearing his name called on draft night. It was an amazing and emotional moment for Austin, who was also offered a job within the NBA after graduating from Baylor.
And now, 2K Sports announced this week that they’ve added Austin to NBA 2K15 as part of a roster update, meaning he’ll be included in the game as a free agent. Now Austin (and gamers everywhere) can see his dream play out within the digital realm of the video game, and it certainly looks like his character’s got some moves.
It’s a very cool gesture by 2K Sports, so good on them. I’m sure lots of gamers will be heading to the free agent pool to add Austin to their squad, and why shouldn’t they? After all, he’s a better option than Michael Beasley.
