Nancy Lieberman, one of the most accomplished figures in basketball history, is delivering a serious message to men about prostate cancer after seeing the disease take the lives of those close to her.

The former WNBA player and broadcaster is teaming up with major sports figures and the Prostate Cancer Foundation to encourage men to take action before it’s too late.

Lieberman’s message is personal. The disease affected her longtime friend and former Springfield Fame teammate Micheal Ray Richardson, who later died following a prostate cancer diagnosis.

“I spoke at Micheal Ray Richardson’s funeral,” Lieberman said. “He happened to be my teammate when there was no WNBA.”

She recalled how Richardson kept his illness private, even from those closest to him. “He didn’t want to tell his wife, Kim. He didn’t want to tell the family,” she said.

Lieberman’s advocacy now extends far beyond basketball.

Other athletes including Spencer Haywood and Alonzo Mourning, along with ESPN’s Jay Harris, have battled and survived the same disease, and their experiences have added urgency to her campaign.

To spread awareness, Lieberman joined the Prostate Cancer Foundation, Ice Cube, and the BIG3 basketball league to emphasize one clear step: ask for a PSA test.

“You must tell the doctor, ‘Check the box,’ because sometimes they will not check the box,” Lieberman explained.

The “box” she refers to appears on a routine blood test and relates to PSA, which stands for prostate-specific antigen.

The Prostate Cancer Foundation’s “Check the Box” campaign aims to encourage men to request this test from their doctor to learn their PSA score.

Lieberman said the goal is to make PSA testing a regular part of men’s health checkups, especially when blood is already being drawn for other reasons. “It’s the PSA box,” she said. “It’s the prostate-specific antigen.”

Her outreach also extends to women, asking them to help reinforce the message at home. “If you’re a woman, we’re going to nudge our men and say, ‘Go to the doctor. Don’t be afraid. We are standing right with you,’” Lieberman said.

Lieberman’s call to action mirrors that of broadcaster Ed Randall, who is partnering with top sports names to raise awareness across the country.

Both advocates want the message to resonate before another life is lost.

Lieberman’s voice carries weight in both sports and public health circles, and her advocacy underscores the human side of awareness campaigns.

Her message remains simple but urgent: talking to a doctor and checking a single box could make an enormous difference.