Former NBA Player Receives Kidney Transplant After Long Health Struggle
Baxter Holmes is a senior writer for ESPN Digital and Print, focusing on the NBA. He has previously covered the Lakers, the Celtics and worked for The Boston Globe and Los Angeles Times.
Former NBA guard Robinson has undergone a successful kidney transplant surgery that commenced on Friday morning at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. The procedure lasted for several hours and was made possible by a live donor.
Robinson, surrounded by family and friends on the day of the surgery, has faced kidney issues for nearly two decades. He first discovered he would need a transplant while playing for the New York Knicks. In 2021, his condition worsened, leading him to receive weekly dialysis treatments at a Seattle clinic.
Initially, Robinson believed he would automatically be placed on a waiting list for a new kidney but had challenges navigating the process. He went public with his kidney failure treatment in the fall of 2022, and by the spring of 2024, he announced that he was in need of a donor.
Following this announcement, the University of Washington received an overwhelming response from potential kidney donors willing to help Robinson. Throughout the fall of 2024, he underwent multiple procedures, including a colonoscopy, to identify an ideal match from the list of donors.
Before the surgery, Robinson expressed his gratitude on Instagram, stating, "I'm here to celebrate and thank the LORD for all he has done in my life, today is the day I get my new kidney, thank you to all the people that sent prayers and texted my phone giving me encouragement (and) love!!!"
Robinson played in the NBA for 11 seasons from 2005 to 2016, representing eight different teams. He averaged 11 points per game, peaking at 17.2 points per game during the 2008-09 season with the Knicks, and is a three-time winner of the slam dunk contest.
