'NBA 2K15' Trailer, Gameplay & News: Isaiah Austin Added to Roster as Playable Character

As a tribute to a young man who could have been on his way to NBA stardom, "NBA 2K15" gave former Baylor Bears center Isaiah Austin a spot on its roster.

"This time last year, Baylor center Isaiah Austin was in the midst of a terrific sophomore season, one that would eventually lead to his inclusion on the Big 12's All-Defensive Team," said Yahoo Sports. He was still in collegiate basketball.

Austin's career ended abruptly just weeks before the NBA selection, when the results of a genetic testing for the 2014 Draft revealed that he had Marfan syndrome, a genetic disease that causes aortic enlargement, apart from issues in the connective tissues, said the Baylor Bears website. A 7-foot-1 athlete, Austin would have been the NBA's first partially blind player.

Austin had played for two seasons with Baylor before pushing through with the Draft, said the report. He averaged 12.1 points, 6.9 rebounds and 2.4 blocks in 73 games, only one of which was not a start.

The NBA's tribute came in Commissioner Adam Silver's tearjerker selection of Austin post-diagnosis:

"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," he said at Barclays Center on Draft night. "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."

Months later, before the year ends, the virtual game NBA 2K15 installed him as a free agent on all platforms, said The Bleacher Report. He is also available on MyTEAM mode. This, according to Pro Basketball Talk, is a testament to the "extremely impressive" love for him.

"Austin is now available as a playable free agent to celebrate his courage following his diagnosis of Marfan syndrome," said Gamespot, also mentioning that he was a first-round prospect when he declared his participation in the Drafts. Yahoo Sports said that prediction was an impressive rank, with the 2014 batch considered as among the toughest.

CBS Sports said it was Tuesday when the game began offering Austin to its players. Also appearing on the week's episode of "NBA2K TV," Austin underwent facial scanning at the NBA 2K studios to make his avatar accurate, the Gamespot report added.

Gamespot said "NBA 2K15" was the top-selling game in October for the United States (It had just been released Oct. 7).

Meanwhile, according to Yahoo Sports, the NBA offered Austin a job, and he can start  working for the league after his studies at Baylor.

In the meantime, on his inclusion in the "NBA 2K15," the Yahoo report said: "That is incredibly cool. And because defensive-minded 7-1 centers are rather hard to come by, gamers have been in heavy pursuit of the rookie."