Alonzo Mourning
tall, and weighs . Mourning is famous for his tenacity on defense, twice earning
NBA Defensive Player of the Year. He is lauded for making a comeback after undergoing a
kidney transplant and years later winning his first
NBA Championship with the Heat. Mourning is slowing a bit due to age but he still remains a dominant force and the perfect back-up to take presure off of
Shaquille O'Neal .
Early Career
Upon his graduation from
Indian River High School in Chesapeake, Mourning played
college basketball for the
Georgetown University Hoyas. In
1992 he was selected second overall in the
1992 NBA Draft by the
Charlotte Hornets, behind
Shaquille O'Neal. Mourning and teammate
Larry Johnson elevated the Hornets into a 50-win team and brought them to the playoffs. Mourning was one of four players to lead an NBA team in four major statistical categories (along with
Dana Barros,
Hakeem Olajuwon, and
Scottie Pippen), ranking first on the team in
scoring (21.3 ppg),
rebounding (9.9 rpg),
blocked shots (2.92 per game), and
field goal percentage (.519).
Miami Heat
Friction with Johnson and contract issues forced a change, so after three years in Charlotte, he was traded to Miami, where he played for the Heat for the next seven seasons. He was the centerpiece of the
Pat Riley-coached
Miami Heat, averaging close to 20
points and 10
rebounds per game, and dominating the paint with his intimidating
shot-blocking. He won the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award twice during this period and was named into the All-NBA First Team after leading the Heat in scoring (20.1 ppg), field-goal percentage (.511), rebounds, blocked shots and double-doubles (29). He and
Tim Hardaway led the Heat into playoffs, where the
Knicks-Heat rivalry intensified.
However, prior the start of the
2000-01 season, he was diagnosed with
focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a disease of the kidneys, that had caused him to miss many games for the past few seasons. Even after the diagnosis, Mourning still played in the 2002
NBA All-Star Game. Because his condition worsened, Mourning did not play during the entire
2002-03 season.
New Jersey Nets
As a free agent, in
2003 he signed a four-year contract with the
New Jersey Nets. But on
November 25,
2003 Mourning retired from the NBA due to complications from his kidney disease. On
December 19 of that year he underwent a successful kidney transplant. In
2004, he started practicing with the Nets again, and made the team's regular season roster for a part of his time spent with the Nets in the 2004-05 season. However, he did not play a significant role with the Nets and openly complained to the media that he wanted out of New Jersey, especially after the team traded
Kenyon Martin.[
1] He was traded to the Toronto Raptors on
December 17,
2004 who later bought him out because he refused to play for them.
Back with the Heat
Mourning re-signed with the Heat on
March 1,
2005. His role was reduced as a backup because of superstar
Shaquille O'Neal. Because of physical limitations, his minutes were reduced, but was still a steady contributor. Mourning's tenacious defense, steady offense, and all around hustle helped the Heat gain and maintain the second-best record in the NBA's Eastern conference during the 2005-06 season; his intensity had earned him the title "The Ultimate Warrior" amongst
Miami Heat fans. Mourning finished the regular season ranking third in blocked shots at 2.66 per game, despite only playing 20 minutes per contest.
Led by
Dwayne Wade, the Miami Heat and Mourning finally won the elusive NBA Championship in the
2006 NBA Finals against the
Dallas Mavericks 4 games to 2. Although he was used as a reserve
center behind
Shaquille O'Neal during the Finals, he contributed 8 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 blocks in the decisive Game 6 of the series and was a strong force throughout.
After winning the championship, Mourning announced that he would return to the Heat in
2006-07 to defend their title, despite receiving offers of more money from other teams, including the
San Antonio Spurs.
*
NBA Champion: 2006
*
All-NBA First Team: 1999
*
All-NBA Second Team: 2000
*
2-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year: 1999, 2000
*
2-time NBA All-Defensive First Team: 1999, 2000
*
7-time NBA All-Star: 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002
* Led NBA in blocked shots: 3.91 bpg in 1999
* NBA All-Rookie 1st Team in 1993
* Won bronze at the 1990 World Championship with the US Team
* Won gold at the 1994 World Championship and the 2000 Olympic Games with the US Team
On
November 25,
2003, Mourning's cousin and a former U.S. Marine, Jason Cooper, was visiting Mourning's gravely ill grandmother in the hospital. Mourning's father was present and informed Cooper that Alonzo was retiring that very same day from the NBA because of a life-threatening kidney disease. Cooper asked if there was anything he could do, and began to contemplate donating one of his kidneys to his estranged cousin, who he had not seen in 25 years and whom he only knew through basketball. Cooper was tested for compatibility, along with many other family members and friends (including fellow NBA center and good friend
Patrick Ewing); as fate would have it, during his grandmother's funeral, Alonzo received the good news that Jason Cooper was a match.
Mourning received Cooper's left kidney on
December 19,
2003.
In the
1998 NBA playoffs, Mourning was ejected after getting into a fight with New York Knick and former teammate
Larry Johnson with 1.4 seconds remaining in Game 4 of the first round of the NBA playoffs. He was subsequently suspended for the decisive Game 5 of the series, a costly punishment as the Knicks wound up winning 98-81 to take the series three games to two.
When Mourning was traded from the Nets to the Raptors along with two other players (
Aaron Williams and
Eric Williams) and two-draft-picks for
Vince Carter, the Raptors could not play him, as he declined to show up to
Toronto. This action was heavily criticized by the media. Mourning stayed on the injured list for several months before having the remainder of his contract bought out, and getting released. Many believed that he was on the injured list just to avoid playing with the low-ranked Raptors, preferring to play for a championship contender. Soon after his release, Mourning signed with his former team, the
Miami Heat, where he won his first NBA Championship in the 2005-2006 season, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4 games to 2.
* One of his greatest rivals was fellow Georgetown and Knicks center
Patrick Ewing.
* Mourning is one of two Miami Heat players to be named one of
People Magazine's 50 most beautiful people (along with
Dwyane Wade).
* Mourning contributed $25,000 to the American Democratic Party in 2004.[
2]
* Member of
Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
*
NBA.com Profile - Alonzo Mourning*
DatabaseBasketball
