Cavs camper Bolden won't allow heart issue to slow NBA dreams

Marques Bolden caught the Cleveland Cavaliers' attention partially because of his heart, but his heart was also a bit of a concern.

Bolden is 6-foot-10 and went undrafted out of Duke in 2019. He played alongside lottery picks Zion Willamson and R.J. Barrett while in college.

Cavs GM Koby Altman took a flyer, with Bolden joining the team for summer league. He was then an extended an invite to training camp in September.

It was then that doctors red-flagged Bolden after a stress test and EKG reveled an irregular heartbeat. Further testing showed the heart was enlarged.

This was a surprise to the Cavs and an absolute shocker to Bolden. He spent three seasons at Duke without any issues. After his junior season, he felt he was fit for the pros and declared for the draft.

“I know what I can do,” he told SI.com at the time. “As long as I stay confident in myself, that’s all that matters.”

But then, for a moment, things got scary.

TOUGH ROAD

Bolden is scheduled to participate at the Cavaliers' minicamp, which began this week and runs through Oct. 6. Numerous Cavs veterans will be there, as will a few call-ups from the G-League's Canton Charge. Bolden is among the G-Leaguers.

It's a long way from the start of the season, when Bolden was filled with uncertainty and worry.

"It was devastating," he told The Big Lead in February. "When you tell me it's something wrong with the heart, you just feel helpless."

Upon learning of the news, doctors kept Bolden sidelined for three weeks. He couldn't go to the gym. He couldn't put up shots. He couldn't lift weights. Bolden fell into an emotional funk. His father, Melvin, eventually traveled to Cleveland to offer support.

There were more tests, more stresses, more of Bolden wondering what he would do if he was forced to tap out of basketball.

THE RETURN

But almost as quickly as the bad news crushed his spirit, came a final verdict. Doctors would monitor Bolden's heart -- but he was given clearance to play.

"It was amazing," he said. "I wanted to go right to the gym."

Bolden fared well enough that he got some run in the preseason before winding up with the Charge. Basically, the Cavs wanted to keep him within reach. They liked his length, his defense, his effort. They liked his heart.

He eventually signed a 10-day contract in late January. It expired Feb. 10, and he returned to the Charge after appearing in one NBA game.

Now, he's back with the Cavs, back making a case to show he deserves a spot whenever the 2020-21 season finally rolls around, presumably in late December or early January. He will again take the court with the likes of Kevin Love, Collin Sexton and other regulars.

“Whatever the Cavs want out of me and expect out of me is what I plan to give them,” he told SI.com.

And for Bolden, his heart is clearly in it as much as ever.