NBA Draft preview: Sam Dekker, Isaiah Austin talk draft hopes and dreams (podcast)
Grandstanding: A Yahoo Sports podcast
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It’s NBA Draft time, the finest pro sports draft of them all (sorry, NFL). It’s a time for wheeling and dealing, a time when teams’ hopes and futures can be secured or crumble based on one pick.
This time around, we’ve got two NBA Draft-related guests for you. First up, from the University of Wisconsin, Sam Dekker! Fresh off his NCAA Championship play, Dekker declared for the draft and has been prepping with everyone up to and including LeBron James. What are Dekker’s strengths and weaknesses? How does he see himself fitting in with an NBA team? What’s he going to do in the green room? He gives us the answers right here.
Next up, we’ve got Isaiah Austin, who’s a truly inspiring figure. Austin played his college basketball at Baylor, then declared for the NBA Draft last year. But during pre-draft medical examinations, he was diagnosed with Marfan Syndrome, a genetic disorder that can be fatal with overexertion.
Austin had to withdraw from the NBA Draft, but in one of the year’s more inspiring moments, NBA commissioner Adam Silver “drafted” Austin and offered him a job with the league upon graduation. Austin returned to Baylor and is in the middle of completing his degree. He’s penned an inspirational book, Dream Again: A Story of Faith, Courage, and the Tenacity to Overcome, recounting his struggles and offering hope for anyone facing challenges.
Thanks for listening to the Grandstanding podcast with Jay Busbee and Kevin Kaduk. Hit us up on Twitter (@kevinkaduk and @jaybusbee) Facebook (Kaduk here, Busbee here) or via the hashtag #grandstanding. See you next ep!
[Music by Chris Salmon and Tobin Summerfield]
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Jay Busbee is a writer for Yahoo Sports. Contact him at [email protected] or find him on Twitter.
And keep up with Jay over on Facebook, too.
