David Wear, Isaiah Austin
Baylor's Isaiah Austin (right) and UCLA's David Wear worked out for the Phoenix Suns last week.
(AP)
CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Isaiah Austin isn't the best center in the 2014 NBA Draft. He doesn't rank in the top five. In fact, he's no lock to even get drafted.
But the 7-foot-1, 220-pound Baylor sophomore still is one of the most interesting prospects in this draft class because he has reached this elite level in spite of the fact that he lost the vision in his right eye in eighth grade.
In sixth grade, he was hit in the eye by a baseball, loosening his retina. When he went up to dunk while warming up for a basketball game in eighth grade, the retina detached. Four surgeries failed to save the sight in the eye.
Nonetheless, Austin went on to become a prep star at Grace Preparatory Academy in Arlington, Texas, before playing at Baylor. He toyed with entering the draft after his freshman season but changed his mind after suffering a shoulder injury before the pre-draft camps. He returned to Baylor, where he led the Big 12 in blocked shots with 118 and set a tournament record with 18 blocked shots in the Big 12 tournament. He averaged 11.3, 5.6 rebounds, 1.5 assists and 3.2 blocked shots a game last season.
Now he sees a future for himself in the NBA.
Calling the recent Chicago pre-draft camp "the most fun I've had in a long time.'' Austin is confident his eyesight will not prevent him from pursing his dream.
"It hasn't stopped me this far,'' Austin told NBA.com. "I don't plan on it stopping me any time soon. I'm not letting this hinder me in any way, shape or form.''
Dr. Greg Kaye, an optometrist at Westlake's Skyvision Centers, said athletes, like the rest of us, can adjust to the loss of vision in one eye.
"If the [vision] is totally gone, that good eye is just compensating.'' Kaye said. "But he's going to have a limited range of vision on the side where he had the injury. The brain compensates. Your brain is pretty smart and it adapts. You'll recognize certain visual cues that will enable you to realize that there's depth to things even if you can't actually see it.''
Furthermore, Kaye said, basketball players probably have an easier time adjusting that baseball players would.
"Any slow ball-moving sport he's going to compensate better,'' Kaye said. "In any fast-ball moving sport, he's not going to have the two eyes to see something coming toward him. He's not going to pick it up as quickly. Baseball would be the toughest one. Lacrosse would be a tough one.
"Being a big guy, there's probably very little concern. The only risk he takes is if there's an injury to the other eye.''
One Eastern Conference executive said he didn't think Austin's vision would have an impact on whether he's drafted, though his slender frame and average skills might.
Still, Austin remains optimistic, knowing he's an inspiration for many.
"Anybody with any type of disability, I encourage them to go and fight for their dreams and what they want to work for," Austin told Comcast Sportsnet Chicago at last month's NBA combine. "The only person that's going to stop you from getting there is yourself. You always have to have that confidence in yourself to know you can do it. You have to have faith in God because there's going to be bumps in the road, there's going to be ups and downs.
"I just encourage everyone to keep fighting. Nothing is impossible."
Each week The Plain Dealer will examine one position heading into the 2014 NBA Draft on June 26.
TOP FIVE CENTERS
1.
Kansas, 7-foot-0, 240 pounds, 20 years old, averaged 11.2 points, 8.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists last season.
Comment:
Foot surgery throws draft status into question.
2.
Indiana, 6-9, 247 pounds, 18 years old, averaged 11.3 points, 9.0 rebounds and 0.6 assists last season.
Comment:
Bigger hands than Wayne Embry's.
3.
Bosnia, 6-11, 280 pounds, 19 years old, averaged 11.0 points, 5.0 rebounds and 0.8 assists last season.
Comment:
Good size but not good athleticism.
4.
, Michigan, 6-10, 263 pounds, 22 years old, averaged 9.5 points, 8.3 rebounds and 1.5 assists last season.
Comment:
Another big with back problems.
5.
, Florida, 6-10, 247 pounds, 22 years old, averaged 11.0 points, 6.2 rebounds and 0.8 assists last season.
Comment:
SEC defensive player of the year last season and scholar athlete of the year for third time.