Old Dominion basketball player Imo Essien returns to practice just FOUR DAYS after collapsing

Just four days after collapsing during Old Dominion’s win over Georgia Southern, sophomore Imo Essien returned to practice.

With just over 13 minutes left in the first half on Saturday, Essien was playing defense when he abruptly collapsed on the pitch. He seemed to briefly try to get back up before falling back down in pain.

The guard was immediately attended to by coaches from both schools and appeared to remain conscious throughout the test and walked off the court.

Old Dominion basketball player Imo Essien collapsed on court against Georgia Southern

Essien revealed that he felt like he was breathing through a straw during the ordeal when he returned to practice on Tuesday.

Playing it back, Essien said through WTKR. ‘This doesn’t happen, especially for someone like me. I have been playing basketball my whole life.

“It was very difficult to breathe,” he recalled. “I felt like I couldn’t get my air back and at the end, just before I fell, I felt like all my air was gone.”

The guard returned to practice Tuesday but was only allowed to participate in drills.

Essien’s terrifying episode came just five days after Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin went into cardiac arrest in Cincinnati against the Bengals on Monday Night Football.

“It was scary as hell,” head coach Jeff Jones added. “Particularly in light of the (Damar) Hamlin situation that occurred so recently, I think the worst was on everyone’s mind.”

ODU head athletic trainer Jason Mitchell, along with other medical personnel, helped get Essien’s breathing back to normal and he eventually rejoined his team on the bench for the second half of Saturday’s game.

The school got a new boost on Tuesday when Essien returned to training. While he is not allowed to participate in live basketball, Essien could participate in the drills.

Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin (left) went into cardiac arrest after hitting Cincinnati wide receiver Tee Higgins during a game against the Bengals last Monday.

It is still unclear what caused Essien to collapse on Saturday and the matter of his return appears to be a waiting game.

“I’m waiting until the cardiologist, the pulmonologist and whoever the hell it is … if they all give the go-ahead, then that’s great,” Jones said. ‘If they want to wait, then we wait.’

“I’m jealous of these guys,” Essien said with a smile. ‘These guys can go out and play ball. They can play and compete against someone else and I wish I could be doing that, but at the same time I understand what just happened. I understand the seriousness of a situation.

The sophomore described the ordeal as the scariest moment of his life, but insisted that he was reassured by his teammates, coaches and the presence of his parents.

Essien collapsed with just over 13 minutes remaining in the first half of the Monarchs’ victory

“Fortunately for me, my brothers supported me, my coaching staff has me, my parents were there, so I was very comfortable after the situation,” he recalled. “A lot of emotions go through a lot of people.”

Old Dominion released a statement Saturday night following their 81-75 win at Peach State, updating Essien’s status.

“Imo Essien was evaluated by the ODU athletic training staff along with GA Southern medical staff,” the school said.

Georgia Southern players along with Essien’s Old Dominion teammates were initially distraught

‘He was responsive throughout and was able to sit with the team for the duration of the game and drove home with the team. He is in good spirits and will work with the ODU sports medicine staff when they return to Norfolk.

According to WTKR, Essien was scheduled to visit a cardiologist on Monday to assess his return to the court for the Monarchs.

Jones told the North Carolina news outlet that Essien’s “vital signs were normal and he never lost consciousness.”

The sophomore also underwent a COVID test, which came back negative.