Utah Jazz general manager Justin Zanik plans to have a kidney transplant to treat polycystic kidney disease, the team announced Monday.
“The Utah Jazz send our love and support to General Manager Justin Zanik, his wife Gina, and their family as Justin prepares for a kidney transplant to address polycystic kidney disease (PKD), a genetic disorder that affects kidney function,” the team announced in a press release. “JZ is an instrumental part of our organization, and we look forward to his return in the coming weeks.”
The transplant is scheduled for Tuesday.
Zanik, 49, became general manager of the Jazz in 2018 and is now in his second term in the organization. The Zanik family also issued a statement.
“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 couple said in a statement. “The attention, skill, and assistance they have given to our family and many others has been invaluable. We’d also like to recognize and thank the Living Donor Program for their remarkable life-saving work. We are extremely grateful to Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, as well as the entire Utah Jazz family.
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“The love we have felt and continue to feel is immeasurable. We are humbled and grateful to all of the donors that signed up to donate on Justin’s behalf. Justin looks forward to getting back to work in the coming weeks, and greatly appreciates the organization’s continued support during this process. To our families and our friends, thank you for your continued love, support, and prayers.”
What is polycystic kidney disease?
Polycystic kidney disease (PKD) is “an inherited disorder in which clusters of cysts develop primarily within your kidneys, causing your kidneys to enlarge and lose function over time,” according to the Mayo Clinic. “Cysts are noncancerous round sacs containing fluid. The cysts vary in size, and they can grow very large. Having many cysts or large cysts can damage your kidneys
“Polycystic kidney disease can also cause cysts to form in your liver and elsewhere in your body.” The illness can lead to significant problems like high blood pressure and kidney failure.”
The condition runs in Zanik’s family, and his father, Phil, underwent a kidney transplant 21 years ago. Near the beginning of the NBA season, and following a physical, Zanik received a call from the team’s physician informing him that he was in kidney failure.
Who is Justin Zanik?
Zanik is a seasoned front-office professional who started with the Jazz in 2013 as an assistant general manager. He departed the Jazz in 2016 for a similar post with the Milwaukee Bucks before returning to the Jazz in 2018. He has played a role in important Jazz trades, such as Donovan Mitchell’s move to Cleveland and Rudy Gobert’s to Minnesota.
Before becoming a front-office executive, he worked as a player agent with ASM Sports for 10 years.
Zanik and his wife Gina have three children, Ava, Oskar, and Lucy, who have been diagnosed with PKD.
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