Tennessee basketball player Emmanuel Negedu will not practice or play during the 2009-10 season.

I just want to say thanks to all those people that care about me and show me they care...God is going to see me through this. Tennessee basketball player Emmanuel Negedu

On Monday, Sept. 28, the sophomore collapsed and suffered a sudden cardiac arrest after racing a teammate following a workout session. An emergency medical staff had to use an on-site automatic external defibrillator to revive Negedu before transporting him to UT Medical Center.

Negedu was released several days later, but had to travel to Cleveland, Ohio to undergo tests. Then, this past Tuesday morning, Oct. 6, at UT Medical Center Negedu had a sub-pectoral implantable cardiac defibrillator implanted in his chest. This device will monitor Negedu's heart and if his heart starts to fail again the device will send energy to help return the heart back to normal rhythm again.

Negedu will not practice or play with the team during the 2009-10 season, but he will remain on full scholarship and will still be a part of the Tennessee basketball program.

"I just want to say thanks to all those people that care about me and show me they care. I want to say I appreciate everything," an appreciative Negedu said.

"God is going to see me through this," Negedu said. "With God, all things are possible. God is always in control."

Vols head coach Bruce Pearl said, "Emmanuel is such a special young man. You don't come across many like him. He's faced a tremendously frightening obstacle with unbelievable courage. He is going to be an inspiration to many, and we all feel truly blessed that he's still here with us."

Negedu, a native from Kaduna, Nigeria, played in almost every game last season as a true freshman. He averaged 1.9 points and 1.7 rebounds per game, and shot a team-best 80 percent from the free-throw line.