Jul 23, 2014 02:54 PM EDT By Russell Westerholm, UniversityHerald Reporter

Isaiah Austin's dream was to play professional basketball before his medical condition derailed his career before it began, but the NBA is still hoping to help him out.

Austin told TMZ Sports that Adam Silver, commissioner of the NBA, offered him a job upon graduation. Austin learned shortly before the NBA Draft that he had to give up basketball due to Marfan Syndrome.

As a kind gesture, Silver ceremoniously drafted Austin into the NBA, but it appears as though Silver now wants to make the arrangement official. For now, the league hired Austin part-time to work for NBA Cares. Austin's status as a standout center in college has brought attention to Marfan Syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.

"Adam Silver really wants me to be a part of the organization, and I'm thankful for the opportunity that he's giving me," Austin told TMZ. "He's easy to talk to."

Austin is now reportedly more motivated to return to Baylor University this August to continue working toward a degree.

Before learning he could no longer play competitive basketball, Austin averaged 11.2 points and 5.5 rebounds per game in his second season at Baylor, according to ESPN. A slender seven-feet-one-inch, Austin was also a talented shot blocker, averaging 3.1 per game, a higher average than Joel Embiid, the third overall pick in the draft.

Due to his condition, Austin experienced a detached retina in his right eye, causing him to wear a prosthetic one in its place. Austin and his family learned he had the condition when he underwent a mandatory physical for the draft. Athletes have died in the field of play due to Marfan Syndrome because it can cause aeortic complications, ESPN reported, as it did with Olympic volleyball player Flo Hyman.

He may not be on a court, but once Austin receives his degree, he will be able to say he made it to the NBA.

See Now: Covert Team Inside Newsweek Revealed as Key Players in False Human Trafficking Lawsuit