Alonzo Mourning

Alonzo Mourning

Personal information
Born	(1970-02-08) February 8, 1970 Chesapeake, Virginia
Nationality	USA
Listed height	6 ft 10 in (2.08 m)
Listed weight	261 lb (118 kg)
Career information
College	Georgetown University
NBA draft	1992: 2nd overall
Selected by the Charlotte Hornets
Playing career	1992–present
Position	Center
Career highlights and awards
All-NBA First Team (1999) All-NBA Second Team (2000) NBA Def. Player of the Year (1999, 2000) NBA All-Defensive First Team (1999, 2000) NBA All-Star (1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002) NBA All-Rookie First Team (1993) NBA Champion (2006)
Stats  at NBA.com
Stats  at Basketball-Reference.com

Alonzo Harding Mourning, Jr. (born February 8 1970, in Chesapeake, Virginia) is a National Basketball Association player who currently plays for the Miami Heat. He is also known simply as "Zo". Playing at center, he is 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) tall, and weighs . His tenacity on defense twice earned him NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award and perennially placed him on the NBA All-Defensive Team. He is aplauded for making a comeback after undergoing a kidney transplant and years later winning his first NBA Championship with the Heat. He has also played for the Charlotte Hornets and New Jersey Nets. He was a member of the 2006 NBA champion Miami Heat team.

NBA career

Early career

Upon his graduation from Indian River High School in Chesapeake. He led the team to 51 straight victories and a state title his junior year (1987). As a senior he averaged 25 points, 15 rebounds and 12 block shots a game. Mourning played college basketball for the Georgetown University Hoyas. He led the nation in blocked shots his freshman year and was an All American his last year there. He was selected second overall in the 1992 NBA Draft by the Charlotte Hornets, behind Shaquille O'Neal. Mourning was named to the league's all-rookie team in 1993 after averaging 21.0 pts, 10.3 rebounds, and 3.47 blocks. He finished second to Shaquille O'Neal in rookie of the year voting. He posted the highest scoring average of any rookie in Hornets history. Mourning and O'Neal were the first NBA rookies since David Robinson in 1989-90 to average 20 or more points and 10-plus rebounds in their first seasons. Mourning shattered Charlotte's blocked-shots records, becoming the Hornets' all-time career leader in the 49th game of the season. The greatest moment of Mourning's rookie season came on May 5, 1993 in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics. His 20-footer at the buzzer gave the Hornets a 104-103 victory in the game and a three-games-to-one victory in the series.

In the 1994-95 season, Mourning and teammate Larry Johnson elevated the Hornets into a 50-win team and brought them to the playoffs. Mourning ranked 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 (11.0), blocked shots (3.9) during the 1999-2000 NBA season. He and Tim Hardaway led the Heat into playoffs, where the Knicks-Heat rivalry intensified.

In the 1997 NBA Playoffs, with the Heat down 3-0 to the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals, Zo guaranteed a victory in Game 4. The Heat won the Game 87-80, but the Heat lost in five.

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] Mourning was traded to the Toronto Raptors on December 17, 2004, and was bought out of his contract on February 11, 2005 because he refused to report to the Raptors. [2]

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 Dwyane 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.

Career highlights

Olympic medal record
Men's basketball
	Sydney 2000	United States

• 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

Kidney transplant

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, focal segmental glomerular sclerosis, the same problem that Sean Elliott had in 1999. 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.

Criticism

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, an incident best remembered for Knicks coach Jeff Van Gundy being knocked down attempting to break up the fight and being forced to grab onto Mourning's leg to avoid being trampled. 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, stating medical reasons. 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 2005-06 season, defeating the Dallas Mavericks 4 games to 2.

Trivia

• 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's "50 Most Beautiful People" (along with Dwyane Wade).
• Mourning contributed $25,000 to the American Democratic Party in 2004. [3]
• Member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc.
• Mourning appeared in the video games NBA Jam, NBA Jam Tournament Edition, NBA Jam Extreme, NBA Showtime: NBA on NBC, and NBA Jam (2003) (as both a current player and a 90's All-Star).
• Made an appearance in The Games music video "Dreams" and Hootie & the Blowfish video "Only Wanna Be With You".
• Mourning graduated with a degree in sociology.
• Signed a $105 million contract with the Miami Heat in 1996.
• As the #1 player in the class of 1988, Mourning was ranked above such talents as Billy Owens, Shawn Kemp, Kenny Williams, and Stanley Roberts. He was the first player to win the Gatorade, Nasmith, Parade, and USA Today high school player of the year awards simultaneously.
• Featured in NBA Jam; only current player still active who was featured in this game.

External links

• NBA.com Profile - Alonzo Mourning
• DatabaseBasketball