Miami Heat legend and NBA Hall of Famer Dwyane Wade said he had surgery on his kidney in 2023, with doctors removing a tumor that was later deemed to be cancerous.
Doctor Discovered A Cancerous Tumor On Dwyane Wade’s Right Kidney After He Had A Full-Body Scan
In comments made on his “The Why with Dwyane Wade” podcast that were posted Thursday, the three-time NBA champion revealed publicly for the first time that he was dealing with stomach and urinary problems.
This led him to see a doctor after “taking a few years off from taking physicals.” Wade said he a had full-body scan, which revealed a “cyst/tumor” on his right kidney.
Several doctors recommended surgery, which he ultimately underwent in December 2023. Wade said doctors removed 40% of his right kidney and that tests on the tumor after it was removed showed it was cancerous.
“Thank God that I did do the surgery,” Dwyane Wade said. “I think it was the first time my family, my dad, my kids, they saw me weak. That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life. … I was struggling, dog. Struggling.
“And one thing you never want to do as a man is you never want your family to see you as weak. You don’t want to be perceived weak, and you don’t want to be seen in your weak moments. But I had to.”
Wade praised his family for being there for him.
“In that processes of weakness, I found strength,” he added.
Wade retired after the 2018-19 season. The Illinois native holds several franchise records with the Heat, including points (23,165), assists (5,701), steals (1,620), games (948), and minutes played (32,912). He spent his entire 16-year career with Miami and won three championships and a Finals MVP in 2006.
Dwyane Wade Was Inducted Into The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame In 2023
Wade was selected fifth overall by the Heat in the 2003 NBA draft out of Marquette University. The eight-time All-NBA member made 909 starts in 1,054 NBA career regular-season games.
The 13-time All-Star averaged 22 points, 4.7 rebounds, 5.4 assists, 1.5 steals, and 33.9 minutes per game while shooting 48% from the floor, 29.3% from beyond the arc, and 76.5% at the foul line.
Heat president Pat Riley praised Wade before his Class of 2023 Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame enshrinement. During a conference call with reporters, the NBA executive proclaimed Wade “the greatest player” to ever wear a Miami uniform.
“As a Heat player, Dwyane Wade is the greatest player who ever put on a uniform for us,” Riley said. “LeBron [James] was here for four years and gave us a tremendous lift and helped Dwyane achieve what he wanted to achieve. But over the body of work here in Miami, Dwyane is the greatest player who ever played for the Heat.”
Other NBA players in the Class of 2023 enshrinement included Pau Gasol, Dirk Nowitzki, and Tony Parker.
Furthermore, the Heat officially retired Wade’s No. 3 jersey on Feb. 22, 2020.
Wade became the sixth player in Heat history to have his jersey retired, joining Chris Bosh, Tim Hardaway, Michael Jordan (the Heat retired Jordan’s number out of respect despite never playing for the franchise), Shaquille O’Neal, and Alonzo Mourning.
The Heat legend was also named to the NBA’s 75th Anniversary Team in 2022.
