"I'm going to treat it like a baby" - Nate Robinson expresses gratitude over receiving overwhelming response from kidney donors
Former NBA Slam Dunk contest champion Nate Robinson had been open about the health issues he was dealing with. He was also quite candid with the fans regarding the fact that he could soon die if he did not receive a kidney imminently.
Several people who heard about his plight not only offered support but also offered to donate a kidney to him.
Robinson shared his gratitude to these people in an interview with ESPN's Baxter Holmes.
"Later on in life, when I get a kidney, I'm going to be looking back, like, 'Damn, I really went through all this,'" Robinson said. "That kidney I get, I'm going to cherish it. I'm going to treat it like a baby. I'm going to do everything I'm supposed to do."
Holmes shared how actor Reginald Ballard was instrumental in Robinson receiving offers for a new kidney. Ballard is a member of the Texas Kidney Foundation and through his connections, helped connect Robinson and the foundation's CEO, Tiffany Jones-Smith.
Jones-Smith has helped Robinson through his journey, and while he has yet to receive an organ transplant, he is hopeful that he will receive one soon.
In the interview, Robinson said that people who recognize him in public share words of encouragement, with one elderly lady even saying that if she was younger, she would donate her kidney to him.
Nate Robinson publicly shared a health update on The OGs podcast hosted by former Miami Heat champions Mike Miller and Udonis Haslem in April. Robinson said that the reason he went public with his kidney failure is to be an inspiration to others who are facing the same situation.
Nate Robinson learned about his kidney failure while still playing in the NBA
Nate Robinson had been aware that he was suffering from kidney failure even while he was in the NBA. He learned about it almost 20 years ago when he was with the New York Knicks.
Last year, Robinson told Playmaker HQ that his doctor discovered that his blood pressure was too high. This led to the former slam dunk champion undergoing several tests to determine the cause of it. That was when he found out that his kidneys were failing.
Robinson ran the risk of cutting his career short due to this, but he persevered.
As a result of his determination, Robinson had a lengthy and successful NBA career. He never received any major accolades or was part of any championship squads. However, he was extremely popular among the fans.
At 5-foot-9, he was considered an underdog in the league but his small stature did not stop him from producing jaw-dropping highlights. Some of the best moments of his career include blocks against giants such as Yao Ming and Shaquille O'Neal.
He was also known for being able to dunk the basketball despite being less than six feet tall.
Nate Robinson holds the distinction of being the only three-time Slam Dunk contest champion in league history. He also had one of the meanest dunk contest highlights when he jumped over Dwight Howard, who is listed at 6-foot-10, for a dunk.