Albany, NY (WRGB) — After a long and uncertain journey, U-Albany basketball player Bautista Giralt has defied the odds and returned to the court. The 7-foot center from Buenos Aires, Argentina, was set to make his debut last year as a redshirt freshman, but heart issues put his basketball dreams on hold, leaving many to wonder if he would ever play again.

This year, the uncertainty is over. Giralt has been cleared to play, and his teammates and coaches couldn’t be happier to have him back.

“I’m very happy to be back… to have this opportunity again,” Giralt said, reflecting on his recovery after a year of uncertainty.

Giralt grew up in Buenos Aires, idolizing Argentinian basketball legends Manu Ginobili and Luis Scola. Before joining UAlbany, he played for the NBA Academy Latin America and represented Argentina in the 2023 FIBA World Cup. However, before his college basketball career could even begin, it seemed to be over.

During a routine health screening, Giralt was diagnosed with a heart abnormality that ruled him out for the season. In February, he returned to Buenos Aires for surgery.

“It was very scary when I got those thoughts on my mind, but I tried to avoid them and stay positive,” Giralt shared.

Throughout his recovery, he stayed connected with his teammates and coaches, drawing strength from their support. “The support from my family and friends was crucial,” Giralt said. “The coaches and players always messaged me.”

Senior guard DeMarr Langford Jr. praised Giralt’s resilience. “He’s always positive, you never hear anything negative come out of his mouth,” Langford said. “That just shows his toughness… We love him. He’s one of our brothers.”

Following his successful surgery, Giralt faced another challenge: getting back into game shape.

“Starting to walk again was difficult, and then getting back on the court after months without playing was hard,” Giralt admitted. “Your mind says, ‘I’m going to get back to the level I was before surgery,’ but it was tough.”

Despite the challenges, Giralt persevered with a positive mindset, determined to return to basketball.

UAlbany Head Coach Dwayne Killings was amazed by Giralt’s spirit and determination. “You can’t get a bigger global citizen than Bautista—not just because of his size, but because of his heart,” Killings said. “You never realize in life, one minute you can have it and one minute you can lose it. For Bautista, that opportunity was paused, but his spirit stayed high.”

Killings recalled the joy of seeing Giralt return to campus. “To see his smile when he got back on campus… He dunked the ball for the first time, and the guys celebrated like we won a national championship,” Killings said.

When Giralt finally hears his name called on gameday, it will be a moment celebrated not just by him but by his entire team.

“He’s the kind of story we all root for,” Killings added. “When the odds are stacked against him and he’s overcoming it… When he checks in, a lot of people will be checking in with him.”

The Great Danes will open the season again Army on Nov. 4.