Former UW guard Nate Robinson needs kidney transplant, says he doesn’t ‘have long to live’

NEW YORK – Former University of Washington basketball star Nate Robinson says he’s “not going to have long to live” unless he undergoes a kidney transplant.

The 39-year-old told the Daily Mail Sports he was diagnosed with renal kidney failure six years ago and has been trying to get a replacement kidney ever since.

He first announced his condition in 2022 and said it was caused by high blood pressure.

“I know that I don’t have long if I can’t get a kidney,” Robinson said. “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.”

He said he uses a dialysis machine and would likely die within days if he stopped treatment.

“It’s serious, can’t miss a day. I go in for four hours, three days a week, four hours a day. And they clean my blood to get my toxins out,” Robinson said. “So I’m just enjoying the times where I do feel healthy. I try to get out there with my kids, see my family and play basketball, do the things that I love.”

The 5-9 scorer was a three-time champion of the annual All-Star Game Slam Dunk Contest. After starring at UW, he was a first-round selection of the Phoenix Suns but was traded to the New York Knicks on draft night in 2005.

The diminutive Robinson played 11 seasons in the NBA with the Knicks, Boston Celtics, Oklahoma City Thunder, Golden State Warriors, Chicago Bulls, Denver Nuggets, L.A. Clippers and New Orleans Pelicans. He last played in the league in 2015.