Utah Jazz GM Justin Zanik to Undergo Kidney Transplant Surgery

Jazz Nation got some concerning news on Monday.

ESPN NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski reports that Utah Jazz General Manager Justin Zanik will undergo a kidney transplant surgery on Tuesday.

“In kidney failure, Jazz GM Justin Zanik will undergo transplant surgery. His three kids – facing a litany of health issues – will need transplants too. Through it all, Zanik remains Utah’s front office leader,” Wojnarowski tweeted.

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Zanik will remain in charge of the Jazz during this trying time. Jazz head coach Will Hardy commented on the matter via ESPN.

"It is incredibly unfair," Hardy said. "Haven't they dealt with enough? But they handle it with such grace and positivity. They don't complain. They don't want people to feel sorry for them. I don't know how they do it -- it's a remarkable strength."

Zanik was diagnosed with Polycystic Kidney Disease back in October. In Zanik’s case, only 14% of his kidneys were left. Compounding the problem, it is a disease that has a 50-50 proposition to be passed down to his children. Zanik has three children — Ava (16), Oskar (14), and Lucy (12).

Zanik is most known for the blockbuster Donovan Mitchell and Rudy Gobert trades in the summer of 2022. He's been Utah’s GM since 2019, when he replaced Dennis Lindsey.

The chatter amongst Jazz fans has had everything to do with tanking the 2023-24 season, but that will take a backseat to what the Zanik family is faced with moving forward.

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