Apr 6, 2013; Atlanta, GA, USA; Wichita State Shockers bench reacts against the Louisville Cardinals in the second half of the semifinals during the 2013 NCAA mens Final Four at the Georgia Dome. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

For DJ Bowles, his NCAA basketball career could be over before it even started. The freshman for Wichita State has been shut down by the school after it was discovered that Bowles had an undiscovered heart condition.

On September 3rd, Bowles was in practice when he collapsed and had to be revived by a defibrillator. He has since then undergone surgery to have an internal defibrillator implanted in his body and appears to be completely healthy.

In a joint decision by the team’s medical staff and the athletic department, WSU decided they could not take the chance to allow Bowles to take the court. There have been some scary incidents in the past, including the tragic tale of Hank Gathers and Loyola Marymount University. Back in 1990, Gathers, one of the best players in the nation at the time, had been diagnosed with a heart condition and sadly passed away on the court during a game.

With that kind of scary episode in mind, Wichita State brass felt it was best to make Bowles sit out.

“Our main concern is the health and well-being of D.J. for the rest of his life,” athletic director Eric Sexton said in a press release. “He is an outstanding young man from a great family who has had a very traumatic 17 days. We hope that he will stay and complete his education at Wichita State, and have extended the commitment to honor his scholarship to he and his family.”

Though they will not let him play, the school has announced that they will honor all four years of Bowles’ scholarship. So far the freshman has not declared whether or not he will stay with the school or attempt to transfer to a school that will let him play. From Wichita State’s perspective, their reaction is completely understandable. In their situation, they have reacted about as well as any school possibly could. Taking a chance on a young man’s life for the sake of a basketball team would not have been received positively by anyone.

When it comes to Bowles’ decision, hopefully he is smart enough to realize that there is life past basketball. Though he may love the sport, hopefully he takes up Wichita State’s offer and stays at the school to get an education. The risk of attempting to take the court again far outweighs the benefits of finding a school that will allow him to play. Basketball may be an amazing and wonderful sport, but it will never be bigger than life itself.