Month: April 2024

Justin Zanik will undergo a kidney transplant on April 2nd. Zanik will be in the University of Utah’s hospital for several days and then be home for most of April recuperating. Zanik expects to return to normal activities running the front office of the Utah Jazz well ahead of the draft and free agency.

Zanik has Polycystic Kidney Disease, which has also been diagnosed in all three of his children. All three of his children have advanced forms of PKD that will likely require them to undergo kidney transplants before they turn 30 and perhaps undergo multiple transplants.

Zanik was diagnosed in October and the husband of his wife’s childhood best friend will be his kidney donor.

“I’m a fixer by nature,” Justin 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.”

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid is expected to return to play this week. Embiid’s return could come as soon as Tuesday against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

Embiid has been out since January 30, when he was injured against the Golden State Warriors. After surgery on a torn meniscus, Embiid was given a six-to-eight-week timeline and he’s coming back right around the eight-week mark.

Philadelphia has struggled without the reigning MVP in the lineup. The 76ers are 11-18 in the 29 games Embiid has missed over the last two months. That run has seen the Sixers drop to eighth place in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia is two games behind the sixth-place Indiana Pacers for the East’s final assured playoff spot. Both teams have seven games to play, with the Miami Heat nestled between them in seventh place, with eight games remaining.