This former NBA Slam Dunk champion may not live much longer

Former NBA guard Nate Robinson surprised sports fans by sharing a dire update about his personal well-being in April 2024.

In an interview with the Daily Mail, Nate Robinson told the outlet, “I know I’m not going to have long to live. So I just want to make the best of it as much as I can.”

The 39-year-old Robinson is in need of a kidney transplant. According to Complex, Robinson has been dealing with renal kidney failure for at least six years.

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Robinson has had to put all of his energy into managing this complication. According to Complex, he said, “If I didn’t go to dialysis, I wouldn’t live longer than a week or two. So it’s serious, can’t miss a day. I go in for four hours, three days a week. And they clean my blood to get my toxins out. And they help me out a lot because that’s how I’m living.”

According to the New York Post, Robinson has had to deal with painful vomiting episodes as a result of his treatment. Sometimes the instances are so uncomfortable that he requires hospitalization.

Robinson revealed to Playmaker HQ in 2022 that he learned back in 2006 that he had high blood pressure. According to the National Kidney Foundation’s website, high blood pressure is the second leading cause of kidney failure in the United States.

“They used to tell me that we’re going to have to check your blood pressure and if your pressure is too high, you can’t play in the game,” Robinson told the National Kidney Foundation. “I used to tell them ‘don’t check my blood pressure because I’m playing regardless’”. “I thought I was young and invincible.”

During a 2013 playoff game with the Chicago Bulls, Nate Robinson was seen vomiting on the bench while dealing with a severe case of the flu. It was another example of the player doing whatever it took to be out on the floor with his teammates.

Despite the grim reality, Robinson values his life throughout the persistent health grind. He told NBC Los Angeles, “I don’t take it for granted. I just stay as humble as I can, and I just thank God for every opportunity. Every day is a blessing to be alive and to be able to do what I do every day.”

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Nate Robinson played in the NBA for 11 seasons from 2005-2016, most of which came with the New York Knicks early on in his career.

Robinson’s biggest claim to fame is that he won the NBA’s Slam Dunk competition three times throughout his career. Standing at 5’9”, Robinson soared through the air, defying the odds that a shorter player could dazzle the crowd as much as taller counterparts.

In 2016, Nate Robinson told Bleacher Report that he is one of the greatest short guys to ever play in the NBA. “I know I’m filthy. It doesn’t show because of how most coaches used me, but I was a player who knew he got 25-30 minutes a game or start… please. I’d be one of the greatest.”

Former NBA head coach Alvin Gentry told Bleacher Report about Robinson, “He was a hell of a talent. I don’t know if he maximized the talent level that he had. The guy pretty much won seven, eight games by himself when he was with Chicago. He had that ability. I don’t know if he took it seriously all the time.”

Nate Robinson was a unique NBA player, but could have potentially gone pro in something other than basketball. At the University of Washington, he initially also played college football, but gave up the sport to focus on basketball as a sophomore.

Robinson was born and raised in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Times called him one of the best all-around athletes in Washington state history. He’s the son of former University of Washington running back Jacque Robinson. His former high school basketball coach told The Seattle Times, “He’s matured. He’s still the same old Nate, but he’s a family man.”

According to the American Kidney Fund, most Americans in need of a kidney transplant wait three to five years on the national waiting list.

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