Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik will undergo a kidney transplant on Tuesday, as relayed by Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Zanik is suffering from Polycystic Kidney Disease — which is shared by his three children, Ava, Oskar, and Lucy. Each of Zanik’s children has an advanced form of PKD that likely will require them to undergo kidney transplants as well, before they reach the age of 30, via Wojnarowski.
“That Justin had been diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) — that he had only 14% use of his kidney left — did not come out of nowhere. PKD, a cluster of cysts that grows on the kidney and ultimately renders it functionless, is a 50-50 proposition on getting passed down to a child, according to studies,” Wojnarowski wrote. “And PKD had a deep history in the Zanik family — including Justin’s father, Phil, who will celebrate his 21st anniversary of a successful kidney transplant Friday.”
The husband of his wife’s childhood best friend will be Zanik’s kidney donor.
“I’m a fixer by nature,” Zanik said. “My job with the Jazz, my role with my family — I mean, I was a [player] agent for 15 years. I fixed a lot of s—. I’m the one who’s supposed to help. I’m the one who’s supposed to take care of everything. I really didn’t know how to ask for help, but I had to get over it.
“I knew I had to get over it.”
Zanik was promoted to Jazz GM in May 2019, after Dennis Lindsey was promoted to executive vice-president of basketball operations.
The Jazz (29-46) have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Per Wojnarowski: “To tell owner Ryan Smith, CEO Danny Ainge and coach Will Hardy made him queasy. These are the franchise’s four leaders and a uniquely collegial decision-making group. Smith has a guiding principle: All in on the franchise. ‘But that also means,’ Smith said, ‘we’re all-in on our people. I made sure Justin knew: Whatever he needed, we had his back.'”
More must-reads: