Who is Nate Robinson? Here's why his health is making headlines
Who is Nate Robinson? Here's why his health is making headlines originally appeared on NBC Sports Chicago
Former Bulls point guard Nate Robinson recently admitted he doesn't "have long to live" without a transplant for his failing kidney.
"I know that I don't have long if I can't get a kidney," Robinson told Jake Nisse of Daily Mail. "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.
Here's everything to know about Robinson.
Who is Nate Robinson?
Robinson, 39, is a former professional basketball player, having played in the NBA for 11 seasons.
He grew up in Seattle before moving to California. Robinson played college basketball at Washington University. In his junior season, he led the Huskies to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.
He declared for the NBA Draft in 2005 and was taken with the No. 21 pick in the first round by the Phoenix Suns. He eventually was traded to the New York Knicks on draft day, where he played the next 4.5 seasons of his career.
During the 2008-09 season, Robinson averaged 17.2 points and 4.1 assists per game for the Knicks off the bench, earning himself third-place voting for the NBA's Sixth Man of the Year award.
He became a journeyman after his stint with the Knicks. They traded him to the Celtics, who traded him one year later to the Oklahoma City Thunder. He signed with the Warriors during the 2011-12 season before moving to the Bulls one season later.
With the Bulls, he played all 82 games --- the first and only time he's done that in his career. He averaged 13.1 points and 4.4 assists off the bench for the Bulls. He earned eighth-place voting for, again, the NBA's Sixth Man award.
After his short phenomenon with the Bulls, he played for the Nuggets, Clippers and Pelicans. He played in the Israeli Basketball Premier League, the NBA Development League and Venezuela's professional basketball league for two years before hanging up his shoes.
Robinson became the NBA's first player to win the Slam Dunk contest three times. He won in 2006, 2009 and 2019.
What is Robinson suffering from?
Robinson admitted in 2022 that he's been suffering from kidney failure since 2018.
He's gone through dialysis for years. He gets treatment three times per week in four-hour sessions to clear out toxins from his body.
As aforementioned, he recently told Daily Mail he won't survive much longer without a kidney transplant.
Nate Robinson vs. Jake Paul
In 2020, Robinson ventured into professional boxing, facing YouTuber and professional boxer Jake Paul in his first match. Their contest took place in the undercard of the Mike Tyson vs. Roy Jones Jr. exhibition match.
Robinson lost in the second round of the match via knockout. He hasn't boxed professionally since then.
What else has Robinson done?
Robinson's ventured into other fruitful areas outside of basketball, too. In 2014, he released a book called "Heart over Height." That same year, he opened a chicken and waffles restaurant in his hometown in Seattle.
In 2016, he played for the Seattle Seahawks practice squad. Robinson initially attended Washington University on a football scholarship before switching his focus over to basketball during his sophomore year.
Robinson has three kids.
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