ORLANDO, Fla. --
Oscar Robertson is stepping back into the spotlight.
After living quietly in Ohio, the NBA Hall of Famer is bringing awareness to an issue affecting people who might have never heard his name before: Prostate cancer.
Robertson was stricken with the disease about a year ago and had his prostate removed in a successful robotic procedure. Cancer-free, he is serving as honorary chairman at the International Prostate Cancer Foundation's gala in Orlando next month.
"I usually take a test for it every year, but I didn't for whatever reason about a year ago. It was just a routine test that you take all the time and they discovered cancer cells," Robertson, 73, said in a phone interview with The Associated Press. "I just wanted to know how I got it because I had it checked every two years.
"But I had some numbers that went up a little bit and that was the indicator something was wrong."
During his more than 60-year association with basketball, Robertson earned both championships and pioneer status. Now, much like he did in helping out a future generation of NBA players in achieving a more favorable work environment, Robertson has shifted his attention to helping others through his own experience.
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