'TOUGH TIMES'
‘My body stopped working’ says Nate Robinson as ex-NBA star, 40, left needing needles in his arm – or he could die
Robinson's kidneys are functioning at less than 15% of their optimal capacity
FORMER NBA star Nate Robinson has opened up about his struggles as he continues to search for a kidney donor.
The 40-year-old revealed in October 2022 that he was suffering from renal kidney failure.
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Now Robinson's kidneys are functioning at less than 15% of their optimal capacity.
The three-time NBA Slam Dunk champion candidly admits he could die if he does not get a new kidney soon.
The former New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls star told Men's Health he is hoping to receive a kidney from “family, friends, or a cool-a** fan.”
Robinson was officially diagnosed with kidney disease in 2006 after passing out from dehydration and incessant vomiting.
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And he refused to believe warnings from his doctors that his kidneys would likely fail in his thirties.
“I felt like I was Superman. I never thought I would get sick,” he told the publication.
Robinson delayed treatment after his kidneys failed in 2018 and a bad case of Covid then made the situation worse.
“When I got back home to Seattle, I went straight to the hospital,” he said.
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“It was bad, bro. I was in the hospital for a week. My body, my insides just... stopped working and s**t.”
Robinson was told he needed to start dialysis.
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But he struggled with his diagnosis early on, isolating himself from his friends and family.
“I was so angry in the beginning. I was so mean," he says.
“I didn’t want to bring that darkness to [my family].
“I had a kick in the a** from my lady. She told me they were here to love me, they understood what I was going through, but you can’t be mean to yourself, and you can’t be mean to us.
"And I didn’t notice it until they called me out on it. Sometimes you need that; you need to know when you’re f**kin’ up.
"I was acting a certain way where I couldn’t see it.”
Robinson is hoping to get on the Washington state state kidney-transplant waitlist soon.
But his chances of receiving a kidney – and his body accepting it – are unknown.
I’m gonna be a testimony to somebody. My story doesn’t end here.
Nate Robinson
It does not help that donor rates among the Black population is extremely low.
“The Black people I know that go through this getting a kidney] is always harder for them,” Robinson says.
“For some reason, they make it harder for us, bro. To get healthy, to get a kidney, to do anything.
"Our people go through tough times.”
Robinson has learned to become positive again, especially after seeing his father get a new kidney.
“I learned that I had to count my blessings,” he says. “There are people here with diabetes.
"They’re blind or have p**s bags, or something is wrong with their insides.
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"And for the most part, I’m healthy. So count your blessings.
"Humble yourself. My [family] kept telling me that I couldn’t stop living.”
Robinson goes to the gym most days, keeps a strict diet and helps his children with their sports practice
And he refuses to give up on himself.
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"That’s one thing I respect about myself. I’ve never been a quitter," he says.
“I’m gonna be a testimony to somebody. My story doesn’t end here.”