{"id":82494,"date":"2025-06-07T07:16:12","date_gmt":"2025-06-07T07:16:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/82494\/"},"modified":"2025-06-07T07:16:12","modified_gmt":"2025-06-07T07:16:12","slug":"okc-thunder-fan-brings-attention-to-friend-needing-kidney-transplant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nba\/82494\/","title":{"rendered":"OKC Thunder fan brings attention to friend needing kidney transplant"},"content":{"rendered":"

Rob Shahan<\/a> wants the Thunder<\/a> to take care of business in the NBA Finals<\/a>.<\/p>\n

But if it needs an extra game or two to do so, he\u2019d be fine with that.<\/p>\n

Shahan is known by many as Oklahoma City superfan Thunder Rob<\/a>, sitting behind the basket near the Thunder bench, wearing a distinctive white fuzzy bucket hat with jewel-encrusted sunglasses and chains. He regularly brings fun signs, too, including one when the Thunder clinched the Western Conference finals alerting his boss that he\u2019d be late for work the next day.<\/p>\n

Needless to say, he\u2019s all in on the Thunder.<\/p>\n

But he\u2019s all in on helping his friend Dexter Murphy find a new kidney, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is one of the best guys you\u2019ll ever meet,\u201d Shahan said.<\/p>\n

Shahan, who has built a social media following among Thunder fans, has committed to using the hashtag #MyFriendDexterNeedsAKidney at every opportunity. And the longer the Thunder plays, the more opportunities there are to share his friend\u2019s story.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m on a mission,\u201d Shahan said. \u201cI love the guy, I love his family, and I\u2019m going to find him a kidney.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dexter Murphy would like nothing more.<\/p>\n

CARLSON: Thunder takes gut punch in Game 1. How it responds will decide who wins NBA Finals.<\/a><\/p>\n

He and Shahan became friends when they worked together at Tinker Air Force Base. Even though Murphy changed jobs and left the base, then returned to Tinker in another office, the two remained close.<\/p>\n

One of the biggest pieces of connective tissue?<\/p>\n

Basketball.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s always been a big Thunder fan, and I\u2019m a big Thunder fan, too,\u201d Murphy said, \u201cso we kind of still connected that way.\u201d<\/p>\n

But one day in February, Murphy shared unexpected news with Shahan.<\/p>\n

Murphy had gone to the eye doctor for a follow-up appointment after having laser eye surgery, and when they took his blood pressure, the numbers were extremely elevated. They were so high that the doctor told Murphy to go to the hospital immediately.<\/p>\n

\u201cAnd I\u2019m feeling fine,\u201d Murphy said.<\/p>\n

He drove himself to the hospital, calling his wife on the way to tell her what was happening.<\/p>\n

Once he got to the emergency room and had his blood pressure taken again, the seriousness of the situation began to set in \u2014 his systolic number was above 230 while his diastolic number was above 100.<\/p>\n

Numbers below 120 and 80 are considered normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re about to stroke out,\u201d Murphy remembers being told.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am?\u201d he asked, still feeling normal.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou\u2019re getting admitted right now.\u201d<\/p>\n

REQUIRED READING: Thunder leads for all but 0.3 seconds before falling to Pacers in Game 1 of NBA Finals<\/a><\/p>\n

Murphy had dealt with headaches before, but with his side venture, DM Sports Media Marketing, he does a lot of videography and photography. He always figured the headaches resulted from sitting in front of his computer, staring at the screen for hours on end.<\/p>\n

In the end, Murphy was diagnosed with kidney failure and renal disease, the result of high blood pressure and a hereditary issue that damaged his kidney.<\/p>\n

Murphy has been in and out of the hospital several times since, and he also started dialysis almost right away.<\/p>\n

Right now, he does dialysis three times a week, and while he\u2019s lost 20 or 25 pounds since the start of the year, he continues to work. He does remote work as much as possible and his sports marketing work when he has the energy.<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want to stay as normal as possible because, you know, your mind can drift and take you places where you don\u2019t want to go,\u201d Murphy said. \u201cYou just want to stay positive and just keep moving.<\/p>\n

\u201cI have more better days than worse days.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n

Still, he knows more challenges are ahead. A kidney transplant is the long-term solution, and it will be a few more months before he starts going through assessments to evaluate his health and whether he\u2019s a good candidate.<\/p>\n

Once he\u2019s on a transplant list, the wait could be six months or more.<\/p>\n

But that process could be accelerated if Murphy finds a living donor. Because most humans are born with two kidneys, people can donate and maintain adequate function with only one of the organs.<\/p>\n

TAKEAWAYS: Tyrese Haliburton delivers stunner again as Pacers steal Game 1 vs Thunder in NBA Finals<\/a><\/p>\n

Finding a compatible match, though, can be difficult.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why Shahan has taken Murphy\u2019s situation public \u2014 and why Murphy has been on board with it.<\/p>\n

\u201cAll you gotta do is get in front of the right person,\u201d Shahan said.<\/p>\n

Most people would qualify to donate based on the minimum requirements from the National Kidney Registry: at least 18; in good health; normal kidney function; and no major physical or mental illness.<\/p>\n

But first, people must register and go through the initial screening process to know if they\u2019re even a match.<\/p>\n

Murphy admitted it\u2019s odd going through his daily routine never realizing if someone he crosses paths with might be a match. A co-worker. A neighbor. A church friend. A cashier at the grocery store.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou don\u2019t know,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

But for anyone like Murphy who finds a living donor, the benefits go beyond wait times. Outcomes are better. The chance of rejection is lower while the chance of initial function is higher.<\/p>\n

Finding a match for Murphy might be a long shot, but Shahan feels he must try.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe needs a kidney, and I have a little bit of social media influence,\u201d Shahan said. \u201cI\u2019m going to hype up the hashtag #MyFriendDexterNeedsAKidney every day during the playoffs.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m going to find him a kidney.\u201d<\/p>\n

Regardless of what happens, it has meant a lot for Murphy to have his story shared.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt just shows you people that you know really care about you,\u201d he said. \u201cSeeing other people reach out and just showing their love and that they want to help \u2026 it helps lift your spirit. It helps you to keep going. It helps you to keep pushing.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jenni Carlson: Jenni can be reached at jcarlson@oklahoman.com. Like her at facebook.com\/JenniCarlsonOK, follow her at @jennicarlsonok.bsky.social and twitter.com\/jennicarlson_ok, and support her work and that of other Oklahoman journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.<\/p>\n