Basketball literally saved his life.
Crown Heights native Tyrone Hall was playing a pickup game at W. 4th Street in August 2015 when he collapsed in the middle of the court.
Two days and dozens of tests later, doctors told Hall the right side of his heart was severely underdeveloped — and the only reason he had survived this long was because of basketball and the intense workout regimen he maintained to keep his game up.
“The doctor said because I don’t drink or smoke and I work out that the left side of my heart developed so much muscle it allowed me to survive,” Hall said. “They showed me a picture of my heart and just looked like somebody had punched it. It was all shredded up.”
Hall had open-heart surgery just days after he passed out on the court. It was terrifying, and the prospect of recovery was intimidating, but Hall knew it was just another challenge for him to overcome.
After all, he was hardly a stranger to adversity.
Hall went to three different high schools, struggling to find consistency or the dedication to stay in class. That changed during his senior year when he moved in with his aunt and uncle.
The rules were simple — go to class and stay in line. So Hall did just that. He went to class and — more importantly — went to the gym. And he started playing basketball.
It was never serious, just a means of making friends, but two years after he graduated from Aspiration in 2010, Hall discovered basketball could also be a way out.
“I met this guy — Tippy McTernan — he’d get guys and help them out and get them in school,” Hall said. “Tippy came up to me and told me I was ‘raw talent.’ I didn’t think I was that good. And he asked me about playing college ball. I started laughing. I didn’t even play high-school ball. You want me to play college ball?”
McTernan gave Hall the names of several coaches, and Hall got in touch with Robert Haynes at Porterville College in California. Haynes asked Hall to send him a tape of his game, but he didn’t have any film — he didn’t even have a team. So, Hall came up with a plan to make highlights.
“I went in the gym and I asked my best friend to record me,” Hall said. “It was just me shooting the ball and dunking the door. That was my highlight tape. Shooting the ball in the gym by myself.”
It worked. Hall went to California in 2013 — playing two seasons at Porterville where he earned Rookie of the Year and all-league honors. And when he was done, he wasn’t just a street-ball player anymore. He was a true basketball player with a sense of confidence he’d never once possessed in high school.
Hall had offers from a handful of Division-I programs out of Porterville, but he wanted to come home and Queens College was a solid fit. Two days after he sent in his commitment letters, Hall collapsed on W. 4th Street.
Doctors told him after his surgery it would take four to six weeks to recover — he was back on the court in three.
“I feel like I can breathe better,” Hall said of his post-surgery game. “I used to be able to play basketball, but only for a short period of time, and I’d be very winded. Now I can play all day.”
Hall averaged 8.7 points, 2.4 rebounds and 1.6 assists in his first seven games this season. It’s never been easy, but as far as Hall is concerned, easy wouldn’t be normal for him.
And every challenge he’s faced has only fueled his fire — on and off the court — and now he’s ready for whatever comes next.
“I want to win this season. I want to make the tournament and see how far that takes us,” Hall said. “And then I see myself playing ball overseas. I think I’m good enough.”
