Ohio State guard Abel Porter has career cut short because of heart condition
Guard Abel Porter won't get to make an official debut with the Ohio State Buckeyes.
The graduate transfer from the Utah State Aggies was ruled out for his last collegiate season with what he later confirmed to be hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a rare heart disease that has ended his basketball career:
Previously, coach Chris Holtmann failed to disclose Porter's medical condition but said it was not related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
"This has been a difficult past few weeks for Abel and his family," Holtmann said in a statement shared by ESPN and other outlets. "He is a tremendous person and I know he is very appreciative for the opportunity to be a Buckeye. Abel has expressed how thankful he is for the fantastic medical care he has received. He will remain a part of our program."
Porter was once a walk-on at Utah State before he earned a scholarship and became a full-time starter. He played in all 34 games last season and averaged career highs in scoring (5.6 PTS), assists (3.2), rebounds (2.4) and minutes per game (25.6) while shooting 38.2% from the field and 29.7% from three-point range.
According to Colin Hass-Hill of Eleven Warriors, Porter was set to begin the year behind CJ Walker and Duane Washington Jr. on the Ohio State depth chart.
While at Utah State, Porter completed a two-year church mission trip to Russia.
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