Former NBA Player Nate Robinson Is Desperate for a Kidney Transplant

Nate Robinson needs a kidney.

in a new interview men’s Health In the article published Tuesday, the former NBA star opens up about living with kidney failure and his desperate search for a kidney. Since his kidneys failed six years ago, the 40-year-old has been trying to get a replacement kidney to save his life.

“He told me that if he didn’t get a kidney soon, he would die right next door.” men’s HealthTyler R. Tynes writes.

Robinson was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2006. On days when his body would faint due to dehydration and constant vomiting, the three-time slam dunk champion would hospitalize himself, then check out and carry on as normal. During his NBA days from 2005 to 2015, there were signs of his kidney function declining, but Robinson never believed doctors’ warnings that his kidneys could fail at the age of 30.

“I felt like Superman. I never thought I would get sick,” Robinson told the outlet, adding that he had always been a healthy child and that high blood pressure didn’t run in his family.

Despite his health troubles, Robinson began taking blood pressure medication and continued to play in the NBA until his retirement. He played 11 seasons for eight NBA teams before his final game in 2015. After leaving the league, he continued to play professionally around the world until 2018 – when his kidneys failed.

Robinson delayed treatment, and two years later he contracted COVID-19 and became “more seriously ill than he could have imagined.”

“When I got back home to Seattle, I went straight to the hospital. It was so bad, man. I was in the hospital for a week. My body, my internal organs… shut down and everything was a mess,” the father of three says.

Only then did the doctors give him the prognosis.

“They told me I could start dialysis today,” he continues. “’Your kidneys are overworking; they’re failing as we speak. The only way you get out of here alive is to start dialysis.’ That was the only thing I had left.”

After beginning dialysis, Robinson isolated himself from friends and family, and his mind constantly wandered, worrying about his future.

“In the beginning, I was very angry. I was very evil,” he says.

He adds, “I didn’t want to bring that darkness into my life. [my family]. My woman kicked me. She told me they’re here to love me, they understand what I’m going through, but you can’t treat yourself badly, and you can’t treat us badly. And I didn’t realize that until she called me out on it. Sometimes you need that; you need to know when you’re messing up. I was behaving in a certain way where I couldn’t see it.”

Since they failed, Robinson’s kidneys have been functioning at less than 15 percent of their optimal capacity. Depending on the day, Robinson might experience charley-horse-like spasms throughout his body, violent vomiting or shortness of breath. He hopes to soon join the Washington state kidney-transplant waiting list and eventually the national list.

The likelihood that Robinson will receive a kidney and that his body will accept it is unknown. His concern is about the disparities among black kidney-transplant recipients. Black people often have to fight to get a kidney before their bodies shut down completely.

“The black people I know go through this—[getting a kidney] “It’s always hard for them,” Robinson says. “For some reason, they make it even harder for us, brother. Getting healthy, getting a kidney, anything. Our guys go through a hard time.”

According to the outlet, Black people are three times more likely to experience kidney failure than white people — nearly a third of people who experience kidney failure in the U.S. are Black, despite making up only 14 percent of the population. Black patients have historically had to wait longer for a transplant than their white counterparts, with Black men in particular facing a higher risk of hospitalization and death.

Now Robinson says he considers himself blessed and will continue to fight for his life.

“I’ve never been one to give up,” he says. “And I’m not going to give up now.”

He further adds, “I will be a witness for someone. My story does not end here.”

Robinson last made headlines when he fainted completely By jake paulWhose most awaited fight with Mike Tyson took place recently Rescheduled for November on Netflix The former world heavyweight champion suffered a health issue which forced him to postpone the match.

In May, ET spoke with Tyson During a press conference where he said he doesn’t see Paul as a “formidable opponent” and “expects carnage, really bad things.” prior to his press conference with Tyson, Paul told ET“I’m humbled and honored for this opportunity and grateful to Mike — it just shows that hard work pays off.” In his press conference, Paul predicted he would win “in devastating fashion.”

Related Content: