WNBA legend Nancy Lieberman sends urgent warning to men after disease affects her friends

Nancy Lieberman inactive remembers erstwhile the illness impacted her friends.

In 1986, Lieberman became the archetypal pistillate to play successful a men's nonrecreational hoops league erstwhile she joined the Springfield Fame successful the United States Basketball League (USBL). Micheal Ray Richardson, her erstwhile teammate, died aft a prostate crab diagnosis.

"I spoke astatine Micheal Ray Richardson’s funeral," she said. "He happened to beryllium my teammate erstwhile determination was nary WNBA."

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Nancy Lieberman attends the crippled betwixt the Dallas Wings and Las Vegas Aces during circular 2 crippled 2 of the 2023 WNBA Playoffs astatine Michelob ULTRA Arena successful Las Vegas, Nev., connected Sept. 26, 2023. (David Becker/NBAE via Getty Images)

Lieberman said Richardson kept the illness hidden from those adjacent to him.

"He didn’t privation to archer his wife, Kim," Lieberman said. "He didn’t privation to archer the family."

Former players Spencer Haywood and Alonzo Mourning, on with ESPN's Jay Harris, survived battles with the disease.

Those names present thrust her connection to men.

NFL PRO BOWL TIGHT END SPREADING AWARENESS ON PROSTATE CANCER, A CAUSE THAT HITS HOME

Former hoops subordinate and broadcaster Nancy Lieberman arrives astatine Symphony Hall successful Springfield, Mass., for the 2023 Basketball Hall of Fame induction connected Aug. 12, 2023. (Eric Canha/USA TODAY Sports)

The women's hoops fable has joined the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Ice Cube and the BIG3 to propulsion a elemental message: Ask for a PSA test.

"You indispensable archer the doctor, ‘Check the box,’ due to the fact that sometimes they volition not cheque the box," Lieberman said.

The container is for the PSA test. PSA stands for prostate-specific antigen. The Prostate Cancer Foundation’s "Check the Box" run tells men to speech to their doctor, instrumentality a elemental humor trial and larn their PSA score.

Lieberman said the extremity is to marque men inquire for the trial erstwhile they already person humor drawn.

"It’s the PSA box," Lieberman said. "It’s the prostate-specific antigen."

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Lieberman besides called connected women to propulsion the men successful their lives to act.

"If you’re a woman, we’re going to nudge our men and say, ‘Go to the doctor. Don’t beryllium afraid. We are lasting close with you,’" she said.