Sports stars you didn't know had medical conditions
Lionel Messi - To many, Messi is the best soccer player in the world. However, you may not know about a serious health condition that could have stopped his career.
Lionel Messi - Messi was diagnosed with growth hormone deficiency when he was just a child. Barcelona F.C. paid for his treatment as a teen, and he has since earned the nickname "Little Man."
Martina Navratilova - Martina Navratilova is a tennis star, with a career spanning thirty years.
Martina Navratilova - In April 2010, she went public about her breast cancer diagnosis. After surgery, the tumor was removed.
Phil Mickelson - Mickelson, AKA "Lefty," is a pro golfer who has won three Masters titles. In 2010, he thought his career was all over after he started feeling pain in his joints.
Phil Mickelson - The golfer was diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. However, by treating the disease, Mickelson has still been able to compete at the highest level.
Isaiah Austin - Austin rose to fame as a college basketball star, playing for Baylor University. He almost made it to the NBA in 2014, but was held back by a medical condition.
Isaiah Austin - The player was diagnosed with Marfan syndrome the same year. After two years of treatment, he returned to playing basketball in 2016.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Many consider Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to be one of the best basketball players ever. In 2009, the NBA star announced that he was battling a deadly disease.
Kareem Abdul-Jabbar - Abdul-Jabbar revealed that he had chronic myeloid leukemia in November 2009. He has since become an advocate to raise awareness of the disease.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee -
As one of the most decorated track athletes, Joyner-Kersee took home three Olympic golds, as well as multiple wins at World Championships.
Jackie Joyner-Kersee -
Joyner-Kersee did all of that while suffering from asthma. She is one of the most famous athletes who overcame the inflammatory disease.