NBA champion Scot Pollard stopped by the Yale Physicians Building in New Haven on Monday to get some advanced testing done on his transplanted heart.

The former Celtics player was in active heart failure just two years ago before getting a lifesaving transplant.

Pollard says his father died from heart failure in the 90s, which is why it's important to raise awareness about recent medical advancements that made his own operation possible.

"We didn't ask for this. We didn't have bad behavior, bad lifestyle choices or any of that stuff,” said Pollard. “It's just the result of a genetic issue that my dad passed onto half of his children. There's six of us and three of us have it.”

Dr. Jennifer M. Kwan, an assistant professor of Medicine at Yale School of Medicine, says the department is grateful to have a well-known transplant survivor like Pollard promote advanced screening.

"Having Scot on board, him being one of the most visible heart transplant recipients ever in the history of heart transplants, I think is good visibility to emphasize why research is important and to show that we've come a long way, but there's still a lot more to do,” said Kwan.

Pollard says he hopes the work he is doing encourages more athletes to get screened.