Nene savoring the time of his life

By Lynn DeBruin, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published January 11, 2009 at 6 a.m.

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Joshua Duplechian/Special to the Rocky

Nuggets center Nene and fiancee Lauren Prothe will be married on Valentine's Day -- not because of its significance, but simply because that was the only three-day stretch Nene had off during the NBA season.

They live in a bilingual house, where even their dogs — Dora and Diego — understand commands in both English and Portuguese.

And so, likely, will their children.

Yes, Nene, a year removed from testicular cancer and chemotherapy, is grinning ear to ear as he talks about the prospect of soon starting a family.

“I’m going to be blessed with kids,” said the Nuggets’ gentle giant, who will be married Feb. 14 to longtime fiancee Lauren Prothe.

He talks openly about how twins run in the family, as his mom’s mom is a twin and so is his dad’s dad.

That he and Lauren, 25, are even thinking this way is a testament to their deep faith, and their ability to overcome.

While Nene’s story of cancer surgery Jan. 14, 2008, has been well- documented, few outside their tightknit circle of friends and family know that Prothe underwent brain surgery April 2 to remove a benign tumor on her pituitary gland.

Though the tumor was small, it was blurring her vision and giving her migraines even as she tried to be strong for Nene during his health crisis.

Then, after successful surgery, with the tumor removed through her nose, she ended up being rushed back to the hospital by her parents when low sodium levels set off a seizure.

“God test us,” Nene said. “Now we deserve the blessings — the marriage, the kids. We are going to be so happy.”

Special season

Everything certainly has come together for Nene, who is having the best season of his seven-year career.

He leads the NBA in field-goal percentage (.616), and is averaging 14.8 points, 7.8 rebounds and 1.5 blocked shots a game.

Perhaps more impressive is that he’s averaging 33 minutes, while essentially playing out of position as a center since the July trade of Marcus Camby.

“It’s kind of a special season,” acknowledged Nuggets coach George Karl, a fellow cancer survivor. “We thought Nene could be a good starting center, but I think we all know we’re getting a little bit more than that this year. I think he’ll get All-Star votes, and he deserves it.”

Of course, that would present a nice dilemma for Nene, 26, should he be chosen.

The All-Star Game is Feb. 15 in Phoenix. His wedding, with 150 guests, including his Brazilian parents, on the list, is a day earlier at an undisclosed location.

“Wedding stays,” he said with a smile from his Denver home, noting he would fly to Phoenix afterward for the game but skip the other functions. “I don’t know if they fine me. Wedding stays.”

As it is now, the honeymoon they hoped to take last summer will be spent on an East Coast trip, with Prothe spending a couple of days with her younger sister, Ashley, who is engaged to former Colorado State standout Jason Smith, a second-year 7-foot forward-center for the Philadelphia 76ers.

If all of this sounds pretty crazy, it is, but only because, well, plans for their wedding last summer changed when a routine drug test last year revealed Nene had cancer.

He took a leave of absence Jan. 11 and made an emotional return March 27 against Dallas, playing the final 77 seconds.

“That is the best moment in my life in basketball,” Nene said. “How the fans show they care. ... 21,000 people stand up and scream my name. But all the honor I give to Jesus.”

Coincidentally, Dallas will be the opponent Tuesday — one day before the anniversary of his surgery.

To be honest, though, Nene doesn’t remember the exact date of his surgery.

“It’s a new year,” he said, “and every day is a new day.”

It’s also clearly a new Nene, one who has trainer Steve Hess gushing about this 6-foot-11, 248- pound “beast” who he says was “genetically engineered” for basketball.

“In training camp, I’m looking at this guy, saying, ‘Dude, you back!’ He came to training camp in better shape, stronger, everything than he’s ever been. It’s inspirational.”

New lease

If there were low points in Nene’s ordeal, they didn’t last very long, Hess said.

Photo by Chris Schneider © The Rocky

Nene acknowledges the cheers from the crowd at the Pepsi Center on March 27 upon his return from a leave of absence while dealing with testicular cancer. "That is the best moment in my life in basketball,” he said of the moment. “How the fans show they care. ... 21,000 people stand up and scream my name."

There was the misdiagnosis of hepatitis C that came along with the cancer diagnosis, Nene said. And the single round of chemotherapy that had him feeling as if all his organs had shut down.

Prothe, from Fort Collins, acknowledged the toughest moments came early on, since he was just getting over hand surgery after having missed the 2005-2006 season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament suffered in the opener.

“Everybody in the newspapers is like, ‘Oh, why did they pay Nene, because he’s got so many injuries? Didn’t they check his health background?’” Prothe said, referring to the six-year, $60 million deal signed in July 2006. “And when you start reading what the press says, you get down on yourself.

“I think there were a few moments when we stopped reading the papers and the Internet and just said, ‘Forget it.’ All these people and all these rumors and all these rude comments ...”

But all seemed behind him when he rolled out of surgery Jan. 14 wearing a yellow Livestrong rubber bracelet a nurse had slipped over his wrist and flashing a big thumbs-up signal to his family and doctors.

“He was like, ‘I’m good,’” Prothe said.

Though a groin injury forced Nene to miss the final six games of the regular season and the first game of a one-and-done playoff series against the Los Angeles Lakers, his strides came during the summer, when he made a commitment to get better.

“He was a monster this summer,” said Prothe, herself a 6-0 former volleyball player who met Nene through the wife of his manager, Alex Santos, about two years ago.

“Every morning he got up and was like, ‘You coming with me?’”

Soon he was off to the Pepsi Center or the gym at the Ritz-Carlton, intent on becoming stronger to show those who doubted him, but also to serve as an example of how one can overcome cancer and as a testament to his faith.

“He made me mentally strong, made me come back and surprise everybody,” Nene said.

But it was Nene who surprised even Hess.

“A lot of guys make a commitment to a certain thing. Either they want to get in better shape or stronger and they lose the whole package. He worked on the whole package,” Hess said. “I think that’s what separates him. He worked on the physiology. He worked on the eating. He worked on the actual playing.”

Hess said it’s hard to find anyone mentally stronger than Nene.

“One night he goes up against Tim Duncan, the next night he might go up against Kevin Garnett. He’s playing a lot of unbelievable guys in this league and as he does, he gets mentally stronger,” Hess said. “A lot of the things he’s been through have made him mentally stronger. But he has great beliefs; he’s a good man with a great heart, and I think that feeds into his whole ability to improve.”

Seeing double?

Against Miami on Wednesday, he played nearly 39 minutes. Against Detroit on Friday, he played 36 minutes.

That’s nothing compared with the energy he’ll expend playing with the children he can’t wait to have.

He and Prothe acknowledged that the type of cancer Nene had sometimes can interfere with the ability to have children.

“There’s always a question, but just like Lance Armstrong. He and his girlfriend are having a baby. We feel like the Lord saved us so we can have a blessed child,” Prothe said.

Hess, a believer in positive thinking, doesn’t doubt it.

“The mind’s unbelievably strong, and Nene’s mind is strong, and if he says he’s going to have a family, he’s going to have 47 kids,” Hess said.

Actually, just three, said Nene, whose name means baby in Portuguese. The twins they hope they’ll have, and a third child they plan to adopt.

“It’s way worth waiting for,” Prothe said. “We’re both healthy and ready for babies now.”

• January 11, 2009

  6:52 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  RL writes:

  Wishing you the best big man, you deserve everything you've been blessed with.

• January 11, 2009

  8:35 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  mikeg writes:

  Best story of the week. Keep it up with God, big fella

• January 11, 2009

  9:23 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  jersey writes:

  RL: Ditto! Nene unlike a lot of the "Choosen" fully realizes it is a blessing and not a right. Refreshing. Good for him and wishing him continued success not only for our benefit but more importantly for himself and his family after his playing days are long over!

• January 11, 2009

  9:42 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  jbowen43 writes:

  Great column. Nice people. They both deserve much respect.

• January 12, 2009

  8:23 a.m.

  Suggest removal

  jscarp writes:

  Nene is impressive...
  He is not a center but plays better than most centers....
  Good luck Nene & Lauren....Yoe guys seam like really good people....

• January 12, 2009

  12:24 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  zerotolerance writes:

  This is a good look for Nene. His girl is tight, I'm glad I have a tight girl too or I would be jealous!

• January 12, 2009

  12:45 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  LS writes:

  Good story. Thanks RMN.

• January 12, 2009

  1:04 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  FatTony writes:

  @zerotolerance
  "I'm glad I have a tight girl too"

  Just because this forum is anonymous doesn't mean you gotta lie to everyone! :P jk

  Good story. Good man on the court, Good man off it. Carry us to the playoffs Nene!

• January 12, 2009

  3:45 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Squatch writes:

  I was one of those people that questioned paying Nene. It's funny but the other night against Detroit I was telling my girlfriend how now it looks like money well spent. Nene & Kenyon have done well without Camby and i hope they can keep it up.

• January 12, 2009

  3:46 p.m.

  Suggest removal

  Squatch writes:

  no joke she is HOTTTTT.

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