Former NBA Star Nate Robinson Opens Up on Life-saving Kidney Operation in Video

Former NBA player and three-time Dunk Contest champion Nate Robinson shared his journey to receiving a new kidney and his reunion with his kidney donor, Shane Cleveland, in a video from Playmaker on Tuesday.

You can see the full video below:

Robinson, 40, was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2006, and his kidneys failed in 2018. While Robinson initially delayed treatment, he checked himself into the hospital in 2020 after getting incredibly sick and doctors told him he would need to start dialysis. Since failing, his kidneys operated at less than 15 percent their optimal ability, plunging him into sickness.

In 2024, Robinson announced publicly that he was seeking a kidney donor. A number of folks reached out to his alma mater, the University of Washington, with offers to donate a kidney to him. Ultimately, Cleveland—whose wife Kara had previously donated a kidney—was chosen as his donor.

In February, Robinson underwent a successful kidney transplant.

"I got this guy right here to thank for [my kidney]. Some people don't get to meet their guardian angels. I got a brother in mine," Robinson said in the video regarding Cleveland. "Mine is my brother, man. He helped me a lot, big time. I was struggling and he came through in the clutch."