On a long list of hard luck sporting stories during the coronavirus outbreak, young Kiwi basketball player Yanni Wetzell is up there with one of the most painful stories.
In what was an already succesful season, Wetzell and the San Diego Aztecs were in a prime position to vie for the Colleges first ever national title after 100 years of unsuccessful attempts.
Wetzell's Aztecs were tearing through the Division I competition with 30 wins from 32 games and in prime position to enter March Madness as the favourites.
March Madness, for many, is the pinnacle of the US sporting calendar with the event drawing in 50 million TV viewers and a billion dollas in revenue.
Two weeks ago though, the NCAA made the quick call to cancel the tournament, leaving Wetzell and the Aztecs high and dry.
With the NBA season still on hold, the 24-year old Aucklander will be keeping his ear to ground regarding any news on the NBA draft.
"There's a chance the NBA continues, they have off season pre-draft workouts, i'm just kinda waiting on the word for that," he said.
Wetzell has other backstops though, with the option of studying for his Masters in Business or playing in Europe when competitios restart.
Wetzell may also look to represent the Tall Blacks at the Olympics, which were delayed until 2021.
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