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NEW YORK -- Between the 15th and 16th picks in Thursday nights draft came a very special selection by the NBA. Fake Mariners Jerseys . Commissioner Adam Silver announced at that point that the NBA would let Isaiah Austin fulfil the dream of every young player, making him a ceremonial pick. Just over a week ago, the sophomore centre from Baylor was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome, a rare genetic disorder that affects the heart. It ended his playing career. The illness was discovered during a physical for the draft. "For Commissioner Silver to even invite me here was a tremendous blessing and it just shows how much class that man has," Austin said. "Its really been a tough week for me, and its been really rough. Ive just had a tremendous amount of support from everybody around the world, telling me theyre praying for me and everything. I cant thank everybody enough." The crowd at Barclays Center rose to its feet as Austin, sitting in the waiting area with most of the first-round picks, hugged family members and put on a generic NBA cap. He went up to the stage and posed with Silver, just as all the drafts picks do when they are called. During the season, the 7-foot-1 Austin revealed he had a prosthetic right eye after multiple operations couldnt repair a detached retina. Austin, expected to be a high pick when healthy, said he felt he has "a great story to share." He said Baylor coach Scott Drew has already offered him a coaching position with the Bears. "I have a whole life ahead of me," Austin said. "Im not going to sit here and Im not going to sulk about not being able to play basketball anymore, because I can still be involved with the game somehow or some way." Austin said there was plenty to enjoy on what would have been his draft day. "Just being around all the draftees and seeing my friends get drafted, it just brings joy in my heart because I know how hard we work to get to this point," Austin said. "Ive been through it. ... Just to see how people persevere through their own problems, because everybody has their own problems. Its touching and its heart-warming, really." Minutes after Austin made the walk across the stage, there were comments on social media. Kevin Love of the Minnesota Timberwolves tweeted: "Happy Isaiah Austin was able to hear his name called at the NBA draft. Very cool to see." The 1991 Heisman Trophy winner Desmond Howard tweeted: "Adam Silver hasnt been on the job 12 mos and is already doing a remarkable job! Very classy move. God bless Isaiah Austin." Kevin Durant of the Oklahoma City Thunder tweeted: "Adam silver is such a classy man! Thats love right there. Im emotional for him. Damn I love that." Austin is already spreading his message of perseverance. "I want people to know they can push through anything, because Ive done it," he said. "I just want them to know they have the power within themselves to do it if they keep faith and a positive attitude." Mariners Jerseys China . But sometimes the way you lose takes precedence over the final score. And how the Jets lost the 5-4 game to the New York Islanders on Thursday is what had Coach Claude Noel hot after the game. Stitched Mariners Jerseys . The South Africa international, who rejoined the club last month on loan from Tottenham, opened the scoring in the sixth minute with a powerful shot into the roof of the net. https://www.cheapmariners.com/ . -- After a year spent travelling the world, Brooks Koepka suddenly is in a position to play a lot more golf at home.INDIAN WELLS, Calif. -- Canadas Milos Raonic defeated Edouard Roger-Vasselin of France on Saturday to advance to the third round of the BNP Paribas Open. The No. 10 ranked Raonic, of Thornhill, Ont., had 33 aces to edge Roger-Vasselin 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (2). Roger Federer, Rafael Nadal, Andy Murray and Stanislas Wawrinka -- who were all playing their opening matches of the tournament -- also won on Saturday. Federer, the four-time champion seeded seventh, beat French qualifier Pail-Henri Mathieu. The Swiss star was coming off his 78th career title last week in Dubai. "Its important to win," he said. "Its a lot different from Dubai. You have to force a bit more, but Im satisfied." In a late match, the top-seeded Nadal rallied to beat Radek Stepanek 2-6, 6-4, 7-5. "He is not the right player to play against in the first round," Nadal said. "Hes not the right player because what you want to find in the first round is rhythm and against him every point is different. He goes quick to the net. They dont give you that few games to find your rhythm, to find a way that you want to play." Nadal is 41-6 in his 10 appearances here and has made it to the semifinals or better for the past eight years. But he said worries about his back affected his serve during the 2-hour, 24-minute contest. "With my serve I was doing nothing. When that happens, the opponent is able to play more aggressive, play more confident and in the end, eight double faults, I give him an opportunity to win a lot of free points," Nadal said. "I was a little bit scared for the back. I am not feeling 100 per cent confident with my serve. But probably that match is going to help me understand that I can start to serve normal again." The fifth-seeded Murray topped Lukas Rosol 4-6, 6-3, 6-2, and the third-seeded Wawrinka, playing for the first time since winning the Australian Open, beat Ivo Karlovic 6-3, 7-5. Kevin Anderson and Tommy Haas also moved into the third round. Anderson spoiled two-time tournament champion Lleyton Hewitts bid for his 600th career match win, topping thhe Australian 7-6 (5), 6-4. Seattle Mariners Gear. Haas, who will be 36 on April 3, rolled to a 6-3, 6-4 victory over Jeremy Chardy. In womens play, top-seeded Na beat Chinese compatriot Zheng Jie 6-1, 7-5, and fourth-seeded Maria Sharapova opened her title defence with a 6-1, 6-4 victory over Julia Goerges. Fifth-seeded Angelique Kerber dropped out, falling 2-6, 7-6 (5), 6-4 to Maria-Teresa Torro-Flor. Aleksandra Wozniack of Blainville, Que., also beat No. 15 Sabine Lisicki 7-5, 1-6, 7-6 (5). Murray reached the final in 2009, but has mostly struggled in the event. "I think its important sometimes to think about it, because when youre not expecting it to happen and then it does, thats when it can kind of take you by surprise and you might panic a little bit or worry," Murray said. "But I dont feel like (that happened) today. I was a set and a break down. I got broken three times in a row the end of the first set, beginning of the second. I just kind of kept going and found a way to win, which is always the most important thing." Mikhail Youzhny, seeded 14th, withdrew because of a back injury and the American mens contingent was trimmed from its initial 14 members to one after losses by Michael Russell, Sam Querrey, Tim Smyczek and Ryan Harrison. The only U.S. player remaining is 12th seed John Isner, who will face Nikolay Davydenko on Sunday. Li is playing her second event since winning the Australian Open. "This is the first match after Doha, two weeks, and of course for I cannot be 100 per cent for the first match," Li said. "But I was happy. At least I can learn something from todays match." Li will face Karolina Pliskova, a 7-5, 6-2 winner over No. 28 Klara Zakopalova. Eighth-seeded Petra Kvitova, No. 11 Ana Ivanovic and No. 12 Dominika Cibulkova also won early matches. In first-round doubles action, Raonic and Latvian partner Ernests Gulbis edged Serbian pair Novak Djokovic and Filip Krajinovic 7-6 (3), 6-1. Torontos Daniel Nestor and Nenad Zimonjic of Serbia beat Juan Martin Del Potro of Argentina and Marin Cilic of Croatia 4-6, 6-3, 10-8. ' ' '