NBA legend Dwyane Wade teared up while sharing his emotional journey with cancer during an appearance on TODAY with Jenna & Friends.
The 43-year-old revealed in January that he had surgery in December 2023 to remove 40% of his kidney after experiencing stomach issues and cramps. What started as a routine physical turned into a shocking diagnosis when doctors discovered a cancerous tumor.
Though the former Miami Heat star has since declared himself cancer-free, the experience left a lasting impact.
Wade, known for his strength and confidence on the court, admitted this was the first time he truly felt weak.
“No one has ever really experienced me being weak,” he shared. “I’ve always been the strong one, the most confident one, the world champion lifting trophies. But this was a moment where I knew I was going to be uncertain and a little weak.”
The basketball icon, whose father and grandfather both battled prostate cancer, recalled the excruciating pain after surgery. He also described the unsettling conversations with doctors before he knew for sure what was happening.
“I got a call from my doctor, and in the midst of that call, you could just hear her uncertainty,” he said. “They thought they saw something on my kidney. They were like, ‘Well, we don’t know if it’s cancerous, but there’s something there.'”
Another doctor’s visit left him even more shaken when he was told they didn’t want whatever was on his kidney to spread. It was later confirmed that he had Stage 1 cancer
Wade, who has been married to actress Gabrielle Union for 11 years, admitted his biggest fear was being vulnerable in front of her.
“It sounds crazy because those are the people you want to be there in those moments of weakness, but you don’t want them to see you in that space,” he said.
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Wade and Union share daughter Kaavia James, 6. He is also father to sons Zaire, 22, and Xavier, 11, and daughter Zaya, 17. Additionally, he is the guardian of his nephew Dahveon Morris, 21.
Wade retired in 2019 after a legendary NBA career, winning three championships and an Olympic gold medal with Team USA in 2008. He played for the Miami Heat, Chicago Bulls, and Cleveland Cavaliers.