Celtics

‘Thousands’ of offers from potential kidney donors pour in after Ex-Celtic Nate Robinson raises awareness

Robinson will work with specialists to determine if his body can accept a new kidney.

By Khari Thompson

July 16, 2024

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For a long time, Nate Robinson did not wish to go public with his struggles with kidney failure.

He spoke of feeling embarrassed and ashamed to ask for help in a new ESPN feature on him.

“It’s a lot to ask somebody for something like that,” Robinson said. “It’s not like asking somebody, ‘Bro, can I borrow some sugar?'”

People close to him begged him to tell his story and ask for a kidney. He reluctantly agreed, and it appears the decision could end up paying off.

Tank Johnson, a former NFL player who went to college with Robinson at University of Washington, made a video that aired during the Huskies’ spring football game in May.

The video directed viewers to a website where they could fill out a form and see if they could be a potential match for Robinson. Robinson also shared the video to his instagram account.

Soon, Robinson received word that ‘thousands’ of potential donors had inundated the school with offers.

Robinson, 40, believes there is one person in the group who could provide “that one perfect kidney,” but he has not received a transplant yet. He underwent an emergency procedure earlier this month to deal with a blood clot in his arm.

Specialists will have to determine whether his body can accept a new kidney. He is scheduled for a colonoscopy in November and will meet with specialists for further evaluation in the fall. Then, he would have to find a match.

Robinson said he has had trouble getting on donor lists because he’s been getting sick too often and has high blood pressure.

Doctors determined that Robinson’s kidneys had failed during the summer of 2021, when Robinson felt sick during a trip to a basketball tournament with his son.

He was “on death’s doorstep” in the fall of 2022, according to the ESPN story. For now, he’s focused on eating right and working out so he can give his body the best chance of accepting a kidney from a potential donor.

“Later on in life, when I get a kidney, I’m going to be looking back, like, ‘Damn, I really went through all this,'” he said. “That kidney I get, I’m going to cherish it. I’m going to treat it like a baby. I’m going to do everything I’m supposed to do.”