WASHINGTON — Hall of Fame player Dwyane Wade said doctors performed a December 2023 surgery on his kidney to remove a tumor later determined to be cancerous.
“Thank God that I did do the surgery,” Wade said on his “The Why With Dwyane Wade” podcast episode released Thursday.
Wade said he had not had regular physical exams in a few years before seeing a doctor due to stomach and urinary issues. A full body scan discovered what he described as a “cyst/tumor” that led to the surgery, which Wade said removed 40% of his right kidney.
“I think it was the first time my family — my dad, my kids — they saw me weak,” he said. “That moment was probably the weakest point I’ve ever felt in my life. The moments I was by myself, I was struggling, dog. Struggling.
“And one thing you never want to do as a man, 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 retired in 2019 after 16 years in the NBA, highlighted by 15 seasons with the Miami Heat that included winning three world championships and being a 13-time all-star. He also led Marquette to the 2003 Final Four.