Physical health affects mental health, and Nate Robinson is one example of this. The former NBA star was diagnosed with kidney disease in 2006. And he possibly could have been in a better position had he paid heed to his doctors’ advice. While his kidney health declined severely by his 30s, a severe case of COVID worsened the situation to where he had to get on dialysis immediately. As the process became a regular thing, it started affecting his mental health.

Speaking to Men’s Health, the former Boston Celtics star admitted to reaching a point where he would take out his mental frustration on his kids. But his then wife did not let the darkness get hold of her husband, even if it meant getting harshly truthful. “I didn’t want to bring that darkness to [my family]… I had a kick in the a** from my lady. She told me they were here to love me, they understood what I was going through, but you can’t be mean to yourself, and you can’t be mean to us,” Robinson said, via Men’s Health.

He further mentioned he could not notice the changes in his behavior until his ex-wife called him out. “Sometimes you need that; you need to know when you’re f*ckin’ up. I was acting a certain way where I couldn’t see it,” he added. Notably, media reports once suggested Robinson and his then wife, Sheena Felitz, were done with each other after his instance of infidelity came to light. Notably, the former NBA star brought a child into this world with another woman.

Following this, Nate Robinson issued a public apology to Sheena, but everyone assumed it did not work, considering his IG post in 2016. “Hate saying goodbyes…Especially When the goodbye isn’t the way you would have wanted it…I’m going to miss my family more than anything, they hold me down when others wouldn’t,” he wrote in the caption. But it seems Robinson’s apology worked enough for his family to stand with him in his toughest time.

Nate Robinson battling for his life

The former Celtics star fears he will not live much longer if he does not get a kidney transplant soon. But this does not mean he has given up in this battle already. In fact, the 3x NBA Slam Dunk Contest champ is willing to fight for the future he envisions living.

“Gotta stick around…I want to stay alive for the next 40 years: be a grandpa, see my kids’ kids, take them to the gym, tell them the stories of when I was in the NBA around ’Bron and Kob’ and all these guys. I gotta fight for it,” he shared with Men’s Health.

As of now, the major source of hope for Nate is the Washington state kidney transplant waitlist. Getting the chance of receiving a kidney and his body accepting it would be the biggest relief he can imagine as of now. Until then, he’ll have to survive with support from family and friends while the dialysis process continues.

Stay tuned for more such updates. And to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.