Basketball Player’s Career Cut Short by Heart Disease

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – A professional basketball player’s career was cut short by heart disease, leaving the G-league-hopeful heartbroken.

After missing out on playing sports throughout high school, the 26-year-old finally got clearance to play from his doctor at the age of 19.

Hard work, perseverance, and a bit of luck had him knocking on the door to pro basketball in the United States within a matter of years.

Growing up Trevor Bain couldn’t have imagined that he’d have the opportunity to play professional basketball in Mexico, and try out for one of the world’s leading franchises. 

Bain knows about being told he can’t all too well. 

One day, as a 7th grader at Jack Hayward High School he started feeling unwell and fainted. 

Doctors ran tests and discovered that Bain suffered from Mitral Valve Prolapse (MVP) which Johns Hopkins University describes as the bulging of one or both of the mitral valve flaps into the left atrium during the contraction of the heart. Doctors told Bain that he wouldn’t be able to play sports for the rest of his life. 

Eight years would pass before Bain would get his chance to play again. At the age of 19, and after eight years without incident, doctors gave him a chance to play. Bain started out slow, not wanting to push himself too hard at first after so many years of inactivity. 

Bain would progress through the Grand Bahama basketball ranks, playing night league and loving every minute of it. Eventually, while working at Columbus Cove he got a phone call to attend a tryout for the Lakeland Magic, the G-league affiliate of the NBA’s Orlando Magic. 

That trial wouldn’t result in a deal, but it did give him another opportunity – a chance at Division II basketball in Mexico. Bain was reluctant at first, but took a chance, and it paid off.

After battling back from an injury he picked up early on, he helped lead his team, Las Ranchos, on a 10-game winning streak that helped them secure the 8th seed in the playoffs. They’d end up winning the whole championship. 

The 26-year-old had another chance with the Lakeland Magic in 2021, but health challenges would re-emerge. During a game of pick up ball that was being recorded, Bain passed out.

Our News interviewed Bain at the YMCA gym in Freeport, Grand Bahama. 

He will travel to Orlando in the near future to see a doctor there. He has people telling him he should push and try to continue, but he says he doesn’t have it in him. He’s considering getting into coaching, but says he needs time to figure things out.

Despite the disappointing moment, he is able to reflect proudly on how his work ethic inspired others.