A former guard for the Utah State basketball team had his basketball career cut short after being diagnosed with a rare heart condition.
Abel Porter, who spent four years with the Aggies before transferring to Ohio State, announced Wednesday on Twitter that he was diagnosed with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. He said that while the condition is “scary,” people afflicted by it generally lead healthy and normal lives.
But, he won’t be playing basketball anymore.
“This diagnosis has turned my life upside down but having a long-term perspective has been so important as I’ve tried to accept this,” Porter wrote.
Porter did not get the opportunity to play for the Buckeyes, who finished No. 19 in the Associated Press Top 25 college basketball poll at the end of the 2019-20 season. He ended his Aggies career as a back-to-back Mountain West Conference Tournament champion.
“I’ll be forever grateful for all the opportunities to play the game I love,” Porter wrote. “I’m thankful for all of the coaches, and teammates I had and the lifelong friends I’ve made. The experiences you gain through sports are unforgettable and life changing.”
Alex is an expat from Los Angeles who started his journalism career in 2013 after attempting, and failing, to become the next great rock star. He most recently covered local sports in Chico.