The NBA honored star college player Isaiah Austin with a ceremonial draft pick last night - just days after he learned that a rare genetic condition meant he would never be able to play again. Austin, who played for Baylor University in Texas, was expected to be picked in the second round of the draft, but less than a week ago he learned the devastating news that he had a rare genetic condition called Marfan syndrome, which affects the body’s connective tissue. He said before the diagnosis he had dreamed of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reading out his name at the draft - and on Thursday night, Silver made that dream a reality. 'I want to take a moment to recognize Baylor center Isaiah Austin,' Silver said between the 15th and 16th picks in the first round. Scroll down for video . Emotional: Baylor center Isaiah Austin poses for a photo with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being granted ceremonial first round pick during the 2014 NBA draft on Thursday night . Moved: Austin, who learned last week that he will never be able to play again, wipes away his tears on stage . 'You may have heard about Isaiah. He is one of the nation's best collegiate players, and was expected to be picked tonight before the discovery just a few days ago that he had a genetic disorder called Marfan syndrome and is no longer able to play competitive basketball. 'Like the other young men here tonight, Isaiah committed himself through endless hard work and dedication to a potential career as a professional basketball player, and we wanted to make sure he fulfilled at this part of his dream. 'So it gives me great pleasure to say, that with the next pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the NBA selects Isaiah Austin from Baylor University.' Austin, who was at the event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York with his family, hugged his relatives and wiped away his tears as he took to the stage, while the crowd stood and cheered. Before shaking hands with Silver, he put on a hat with the NBA logo - rather than the team logos worn by the other newly-picked drafts. Overwhelmed: As the crowd got to its feet, Austin wiped away his tears after his name was called . Loved: Austin, who was diagnosed with a rare condition last week, hugged his family as his mom looked on . Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder that affects connective tissue, which are the fibers that support organs and other structures in the body. Marfan syndrome most commonly affects the heart, eyes, blood vessels and skeleton. It's caused by a defect in the gene that usually allows the body to produce a protein that helps give connective tissue its elasticity and strength. People with the syndrome are usually tall and thin, with disproportionally long arms, legs, fingers and toes, and may have a curved spine, flat feet or nearsightedness. Treatment usually includes medications to keep blood pressure low to reduce the strain on weakened blood vessels. Depending on the severity of symptoms and the part of the body that's affected, surgery may be necessary. If the heart or blood vessels, such as the aorta in the heart, are affected, the . condition can become life-threatening. About 1 in 5,000 people have Marfan syndrome, and it affects men and women of all races and ethnic groups equally. Source: Mayo Clinic . 'It's one of the biggest blessings of my life,' Austin said in an interview with ESPN. 'I've worked so hard to get to this point and unfortunately it was taken away, but when God closes one door, he opens up another for you. 'It's been the toughest week of my life, but I have a great support system behind me. My family has been with me the whole way. And God is really just putting will power in my heart to help me get through this.' On CNN's New Day on Friday, he said that the ceremony proved 'just what a classy man [Silver] is'. 'I knew he was going to honor me, but I didn't know he was going to make a draft pick,' Austin explained. 'It was really unbelieveblae just for him to even invite me.' Austin, a . former standout at Grace Prep in Arlington, was forced to end his . playing career after being diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder just . last week. He . told CNN that he had always felt physically fine but after taking a . physical in Chicago recently, doctors said that his EKG looked . irregular. After . doctors struggled to determine the problem, they carried out blood work . and his mother, Lisa Green, received a call from the doctor last week . with the news. She drove nine hours from Kansas to Texas so that she could deliver the news herself. 'As soon . as I walked in the room, I just remember seeing her face,' he said. 'It . was just tears. It's a moment that I'll never forget... one of those . memories just locked in your mind forever. Thankful: Austin said that the honor showed just how classy NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was . 'I just had to hold it together for my family, especially for my little brother and sister because I knew they were in the room and they were looking up to me, so I had to stay strong for them. 'I held it together as best as I could and said that we were going to get this together.' He said he will now undergo yearly heart checks and, if doctors have concerns, he may need open heart surgery in the future. But for now, they're saying his health is looking good. According . to the Mayo Clinic, complications from Marfan syndrome can weaken the . aorta, the artery that supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the . body. 'They said I wouldn't be able to play basketball anymore,' he told ESPN. 'They . found the gene in my blood sample and they told me that my arteries and . my heart are enlarged, and that if I overwork myself or push to hard . that...my heart could rupture.' Major talent: Austin was projected as a first-round pick in the NBA draft, which is just days away . Medical professionals recommended that Austin stop playing immediately. The seven-foot-one Austin averaged 12.1 . points and 6.9 rebounds this season and announced in April that he would . leave Baylor after his sophomore season. But Baylor coach Scott Drew said that the discovery means Austin will not be able to play in the NBA. Austin . had already overcome the odds when he became blind in his right eye . during middle school, a disability he kept quiet about until earlier . this year. Drew added that he hopes Austin will return to school and finish his degree. 'This is devastating news, but Isaiah . has the best support system anyone could ask for, and he knows that all . of Baylor Nation is behind him,' Drew said. Support: On CNN on Friday, Austin recounted the moment his mother, left, told him about the diagnosis . 'His . health is the most important thing, and while it's extremely sad that . he won't be able to play in the NBA, our hope is that he'll return to . Baylor to complete his degree and serve as a coach in our program.' He became emotional an interview with ESPN after finding out the life-changing news. 'The . draft is four days away and you know, I had a dream that my name was . going to be called. But uh...I'm sorry (inaudible),' Austin broke off, . unable to speak. The brave young athlete managed to pull himself together, and had a message for his fans. 'For . all my supporters, I just want to tell them sorry. Sorry they couldn't . see me play in the NBA. But it's not the end, you know. It's only the . beginning.'
Isaiah Austin, 20, was days away from his NBA dreams coming true when he received devastating news that he would no longer be able to play .
He was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, which affects the body's connective tissue and can weaken the aorta, after a routine checkup .
At the NBA draft on Thursday night, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver honored the star athlete with a ceremonial pick .
'It is one of the biggest blessings in my life,' an emotional Austin said .
The NBA honored star college player Isaiah Austin with a ceremonial draft pick last night - just days after he learned that a rare genetic condition meant he would never be able to play again. Austin, who played for Baylor University in Texas, was expected to be picked in the second round of the draft, but less than a week ago he learned the devastating news that he had a rare genetic condition called Marfan syndrome, which affects the body’s connective tissue. He said before the diagnosis he had dreamed of NBA Commissioner Adam Silver reading out his name at the draft - and on Thursday night, Silver made that dream a reality. 'I want to take a moment to recognize Baylor center Isaiah Austin,' Silver said between the 15th and 16th picks in the first round. Scroll down for video . Emotional: Baylor center Isaiah Austin poses for a photo with NBA Commissioner Adam Silver after being granted ceremonial first round pick during the 2014 NBA draft on Thursday night . Moved: Austin, who learned last week that he will never be able to play again, wipes away his tears on stage . 'You may have heard about Isaiah. He is one of the nation's best collegiate players, and was expected to be picked tonight before the discovery just a few days ago that he had a genetic disorder called Marfan syndrome and is no longer able to play competitive basketball. 'Like the other young men here tonight, Isaiah committed himself through endless hard work and dedication to a potential career as a professional basketball player, and we wanted to make sure he fulfilled at this part of his dream. 'So it gives me great pleasure to say, that with the next pick in the 2014 NBA draft, the NBA selects Isaiah Austin from Baylor University.' Austin, who was at the event at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York with his family, hugged his relatives and wiped away his tears as he took to the stage, while the crowd stood and cheered. Before shaking hands with Silver, he put on a hat with the NBA logo - rather than the team logos worn by the other newly-picked drafts. Overwhelmed: As the crowd got to its feet, Austin wiped away his tears after his name was called . Loved: Austin, who was diagnosed with a rare condition last week, hugged his family as his mom looked on . Marfan syndrome is an inherited disorder that affects connective tissue, which are the fibers that support organs and other structures in the body. Marfan syndrome most commonly affects the heart, eyes, blood vessels and skeleton. It's caused by a defect in the gene that usually allows the body to produce a protein that helps give connective tissue its elasticity and strength. People with the syndrome are usually tall and thin, with disproportionally long arms, legs, fingers and toes, and may have a curved spine, flat feet or nearsightedness. Treatment usually includes medications to keep blood pressure low to reduce the strain on weakened blood vessels. Depending on the severity of symptoms and the part of the body that's affected, surgery may be necessary. If the heart or blood vessels, such as the aorta in the heart, are affected, the . condition can become life-threatening. About 1 in 5,000 people have Marfan syndrome, and it affects men and women of all races and ethnic groups equally. Source: Mayo Clinic . 'It's one of the biggest blessings of my life,' Austin said in an interview with ESPN. 'I've worked so hard to get to this point and unfortunately it was taken away, but when God closes one door, he opens up another for you. 'It's been the toughest week of my life, but I have a great support system behind me. My family has been with me the whole way. And God is really just putting will power in my heart to help me get through this.' On CNN's New Day on Friday, he said that the ceremony proved 'just what a classy man [Silver] is'. 'I knew he was going to honor me, but I didn't know he was going to make a draft pick,' Austin explained. 'It was really unbelieveblae just for him to even invite me.' Austin, a . former standout at Grace Prep in Arlington, was forced to end his . playing career after being diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder just . last week. He . told CNN that he had always felt physically fine but after taking a . physical in Chicago recently, doctors said that his EKG looked . irregular. After . doctors struggled to determine the problem, they carried out blood work . and his mother, Lisa Green, received a call from the doctor last week . with the news. She drove nine hours from Kansas to Texas so that she could deliver the news herself. 'As soon . as I walked in the room, I just remember seeing her face,' he said. 'It . was just tears. It's a moment that I'll never forget... one of those . memories just locked in your mind forever. Thankful: Austin said that the honor showed just how classy NBA Commissioner Adam Silver was . 'I just had to hold it together for my family, especially for my little brother and sister because I knew they were in the room and they were looking up to me, so I had to stay strong for them. 'I held it together as best as I could and said that we were going to get this together.' He said he will now undergo yearly heart checks and, if doctors have concerns, he may need open heart surgery in the future. But for now, they're saying his health is looking good. According . to the Mayo Clinic, complications from Marfan syndrome can weaken the . aorta, the artery that supplies blood from the heart to the rest of the . body. 'They said I wouldn't be able to play basketball anymore,' he told ESPN. 'They . found the gene in my blood sample and they told me that my arteries and . my heart are enlarged, and that if I overwork myself or push to hard . that...my heart could rupture.' Major talent: Austin was projected as a first-round pick in the NBA draft, which is just days away . Medical professionals recommended that Austin stop playing immediately. The seven-foot-one Austin averaged 12.1 . points and 6.9 rebounds this season and announced in April that he would . leave Baylor after his sophomore season. But Baylor coach Scott Drew said that the discovery means Austin will not be able to play in the NBA. Austin . had already overcome the odds when he became blind in his right eye . during middle school, a disability he kept quiet about until earlier . this year. Drew added that he hopes Austin will return to school and finish his degree. 'This is devastating news, but Isaiah . has the best support system anyone could ask for, and he knows that all . of Baylor Nation is behind him,' Drew said. Support: On CNN on Friday, Austin recounted the moment his mother, left, told him about the diagnosis . 'His . health is the most important thing, and while it's extremely sad that . he won't be able to play in the NBA, our hope is that he'll return to . Baylor to complete his degree and serve as a coach in our program.' He became emotional an interview with ESPN after finding out the life-changing news. 'The . draft is four days away and you know, I had a dream that my name was . going to be called. But uh...I'm sorry (inaudible),' Austin broke off, . unable to speak. The brave young athlete managed to pull himself together, and had a message for his fans. 'For . all my supporters, I just want to tell them sorry. Sorry they couldn't . see me play in the NBA. But it's not the end, you know. It's only the . beginning.'
The NBA honored star college player Isaiah Austin condition meant he would never be able to play learned the devastating news that he had a rare affects the body’s connective tissue. He said Commissioner Adam Silver after being granted draft on Thursday night . Moved: Austin, who Loved: Austin, who was diagnosed with a rare Clinic . 'It's one of the biggest blessings of my complications from Marfan syndrome can weaken the first-round pick in the NBA draft, which is just days away . Medical professionals recommended