Dwyane Wade has always been a public figure who wears his heart on his sleeve, but his latest reveal may be one of his most vulnerable yet. Speaking candidly on Making Space with Hoda Kotb, the NBA Hall of Famer opened up about the life-changing moment before his kidney cancer surgery in December 2023, and the powerful father-son bond that helped him face it. While his love for his wife, Gabrielle Union , has been exemplary, he wanted his father in the pre-op room.
Dwyane Wade reveals why he wanted his father in the pre-op room instead of his wife, Gabrielle Union
NBA legend Dwyane Wade candidly revealed the real reason why he wanted his father in the pre-operation room. “I chose my dad,” Wade said on Making Space with Hoda Kotb, about who he wanted in the pre-op room. “He’s the guy, for me. He’s always been. It’s crazy because I’m a mama’s boy, all those things, but my dad has been there.”
That choice wasn’t made lightly. Wade’s wife, actress Gabrielle Union, was also at the hospital. But when only one person was allowed in the pre-op room, the three-time NBA champion instinctively turned to the man who had been by his side through life’s toughest moments— his father, Dwyane Wade Sr.
“I just thought about actually who I wanted to see in my most vulnerable state,” Wade told Kotb. “And it was my dad. I wanted my wife to see me when I woke up, I wanted her to be the first person I saw, but in my most vulnerable state, when I was probably as scared as I’ve ever been, I wanted my dad to be there. I was like, 'I need my dad.'”
The surgery, which involved removing 40% of his right kidney after doctors found a Stage 1 cancerous tumor, marked one of the most terrifying chapters in Wade’s life. But it also extended the bond between father and son, especially since Wade Sr. had battled prostate cancer himself.
“My dad shared with me when he was going through prostate cancer,” Wade recalled. “And I think we got closer through that process because I [was] obviously concerned about him, but we started communicating more because this was something that was a part of our genetic genes as men in our family.”
Wade further reflected on the moments they exchanged medical updates with surprising levity: “I would call my dad after I left the hospital, like, ‘Yo, I just got a prostate exam, Pops, and the doctor did this,’ and he’ll laugh and say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s nothing. She just wanted to do this.’”
Long before cancer entered their lives, Wade Sr. was already shaping his son’s future. A military veteran who instilled discipline and responsibility at an early age, he often woke Dwyane Jr. at 5 a.m. to help with chores or drive him to the train station. “My dad saw something and he was putting something in me,” Wade said. “I’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. since I was, like, 9 years old.”
During his 2023 Hall of Fame induction speech, just months before the cancer diagnosis, Wade brought his father on stage in an emotional moment that echoed the strength of their bond. “We in the Hall of Fame, dawg!” he told his dad through tears.
Also Read: New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson crowned NBA’s 2025 Clutch Player of the Year
Now, post-surgery and recovering, Wade remains committed to using his platform for more than basketball accolades. “I’ve shared my stories about my family… not because we want sympathy, but because we know that sometimes you go through things for others to be able to learn from as well,” he previously told PEOPLE. Now, Wade is out of danger and is living a healthy family life with his wife and five kids.
Dwyane Wade reveals why he wanted his father in the pre-op room instead of his wife, Gabrielle Union
NBA legend Dwyane Wade candidly revealed the real reason why he wanted his father in the pre-operation room. “I chose my dad,” Wade said on Making Space with Hoda Kotb, about who he wanted in the pre-op room. “He’s the guy, for me. He’s always been. It’s crazy because I’m a mama’s boy, all those things, but my dad has been there.”
That choice wasn’t made lightly. Wade’s wife, actress Gabrielle Union, was also at the hospital. But when only one person was allowed in the pre-op room, the three-time NBA champion instinctively turned to the man who had been by his side through life’s toughest moments— his father, Dwyane Wade Sr.
“I just thought about actually who I wanted to see in my most vulnerable state,” Wade told Kotb. “And it was my dad. I wanted my wife to see me when I woke up, I wanted her to be the first person I saw, but in my most vulnerable state, when I was probably as scared as I’ve ever been, I wanted my dad to be there. I was like, 'I need my dad.'”
The surgery, which involved removing 40% of his right kidney after doctors found a Stage 1 cancerous tumor, marked one of the most terrifying chapters in Wade’s life. But it also extended the bond between father and son, especially since Wade Sr. had battled prostate cancer himself.
“My dad shared with me when he was going through prostate cancer,” Wade recalled. “And I think we got closer through that process because I [was] obviously concerned about him, but we started communicating more because this was something that was a part of our genetic genes as men in our family.”
Wade further reflected on the moments they exchanged medical updates with surprising levity: “I would call my dad after I left the hospital, like, ‘Yo, I just got a prostate exam, Pops, and the doctor did this,’ and he’ll laugh and say, ‘Oh yeah, that’s nothing. She just wanted to do this.’”
Long before cancer entered their lives, Wade Sr. was already shaping his son’s future. A military veteran who instilled discipline and responsibility at an early age, he often woke Dwyane Jr. at 5 a.m. to help with chores or drive him to the train station. “My dad saw something and he was putting something in me,” Wade said. “I’ve been getting up at 5 a.m. since I was, like, 9 years old.”
During his 2023 Hall of Fame induction speech, just months before the cancer diagnosis, Wade brought his father on stage in an emotional moment that echoed the strength of their bond. “We in the Hall of Fame, dawg!” he told his dad through tears.
Also Read: New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson crowned NBA’s 2025 Clutch Player of the Year
Now, post-surgery and recovering, Wade remains committed to using his platform for more than basketball accolades. “I’ve shared my stories about my family… not because we want sympathy, but because we know that sometimes you go through things for others to be able to learn from as well,” he previously told PEOPLE. Now, Wade is out of danger and is living a healthy family life with his wife and five kids.
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