Utah Jazz General Manager Justin Zanik to undergo kidney transplant

SALT LAKE CITY – The Utah Jazz announced that General Manager Justin Zanik will undergo a kidney transplant.

Zanik has been experiencing reduced kidney function throughout the 2023-24 NBA season due to polycystic kidney disease (PKD) and is in line to undergo surgery to receive a new kidney on Tuesday.

“The Utah Jazz send our love and support to general manager Justin Zanik, his wife Gina, and their family,” the Jazz wrote in a release.

 

“JZ is an instrumental part of our organization, and we look forward to his return in the coming weeks.”

Zanik Receiving Kidney Through National Registry

Zanik will receive his donation via the National Kidney Registry which links living donors with recipients in need of a healthy kidney.

Through the National Kidney Registry, Jeff Hart, a family friend of the Zaniks based out of Milwaukee will donate his kidney on behalf of the Jazz general manager to another anonymous recipient.

In return, Zanik is eligible to receive a kidney from a donor on the registry who is donating on behalf of someone in their life who is also in need of a kidney.

“As we take the next step in this journey, we would like to extend our deepest gratitude to University of Utah Health and their incredible medical staff,” The Zanik family said. “The care, expertise, and guidance they have provided our family and many others, has been invaluable.”

The National Kidney Registry has helped facilitate over 8,500 kidney transplants since 2007, and increases the likelihood of finding donor-recipient matches.

“We also want to recognize and thank the Living Donor Program for the extraordinary life-saving work that they do,” the Zaniks said.

Read the full story at KSLSports.com.