NBA Hall of Famer, two-time slam dunk champion and nine-time NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins was nicknamed “The Human Highlight Film” for his reel-worthy acrobatic feats on the court with the Atlanta Hawks. He’s played against some of the league’s most formidable players, but met his biggest opponent off the court.
At the age of 40, shortly after retiring from the NBA, Wilkins received an unexpected type 2 diabetes diagnosis. “It was a big surprise because I went to the doctor, really, for no particular reason. I hadn’t been there in a while and when he did his test and told me that I was type 2 diabetic it was a major shock,” Wilkins shared in a recent video interview with BlackDoctor.org.
Wilkins, now 54, lost both his father and grandfather to the disease. As an elite athlete, Wilkins may not be the usual ‘face’ of diabetes, but he is part of the 13.2 percent of all African Americans aged 20 and older who have been diagnosed with the disease.
Although the diagnosis was difficult to accept at first, it ignited his passion for educating and spreading awareness about diabetes. As a living example of how to not only maintain but thrive with the diagnosis, Wilkins teamed up with Novo Nordisk to help change the way people think about living with diabetes.
Currently, he’s touring the country speaking about his new initiative, Diabetes Dream Team, to encourage adults with type 2 diabetes to take a full-court approach to managing the condition, especially during the holidays when temptation to indulge is at its highest.
Moderation is a big part of Wilkins’ diabetes holiday game plan. “This holiday season you want to enjoy yourself, but you don’t want to overdo it to the point where you feel terrible the next day,” he advises.
Check out the interview for more of Dominique Wilkins’ tips for eating healthy during the holidays, find out who’s on his personal Diabetes Dream Team and how you can get all the resources you need to have your own Dream Team.
