Alonzo Mourning
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Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. (born February 8, 1970) is an American former professional
basketball Basketball is a team sport in which two teams, most commonly of five players each, opposing one another on a rectangular Basketball court, court, compete with the primary objective of #Shooting, shooting a basketball (ball), basketball (appr ...
player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-year
National Basketball Association The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball sports league, league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues i ...
(NBA) career for the Heat. Nicknamed "Zo", Mourning played the center position. Following his college basketball career at
Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private research university in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll in 1789 as Georgetown College, the university has grown to comprise eleven undergraduate and graduate ...
, his tenacity on defense twice earned him the
NBA Defensive Player of the Year Award The NBA's Defensive Player of the Year Award is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) award given since the 1982–83 NBA season to the best defensive player of the regular season. The winner is selected by a panel of 124 sportswrit ...
and twice placed him on the
NBA All-Defensive Team The NBA All-Defensive Team is an annual National Basketball Association (NBA) honor given since the 1968–69 NBA season to the best defensive players during the regular season. The All-Defensive Team is generally composed of ten players in two ...
. Mourning made a comeback after undergoing a kidney transplant and later won the 2006 NBA championship with the Heat. Mourning also played for the Charlotte Hornets and New Jersey Nets. On March 30, 2009, Mourning became the first Miami Heat player to have his number retired. In 2010, Mourning was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. In August 2014, Mourning was inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
, and in August 2019 he was inducted into the FIBA Hall of Fame.


Early life

During his time at Indian River High School in
Chesapeake, Virginia Chesapeake is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia, United States. At the 2020 census, the population was 249,422, it is the second-most populous independent city in Virginia, tenth-largest in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 90th ...
, 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 blocked shots per game. He was named Player of the Year by USA Today, Parade, Gatorade, and Naismith. He was the #1 recruit of the 1988 class, over Christian Laettner,
Shawn Kemp Shawn may refer to: *Shawn (given name) *Shawn (surname) See also * Sean * Shaun Shaun is an anglicized spelling of the Irish name Seán. Alternative spellings include Shawn, Sean and Shawne. Notable persons with the given name include: Peo ...
, Billy Owens, Kenny Williams, Stanley Roberts, Rick Fox, and
Malik Sealy Malik Sealy (February 1, 1970 – May 20, 2000) was an American professional basketball player, active from 1992 until his death in an automobile accident at the age of 30. Sealy played eight seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA) ...
, among others.


College career

Mourning played
college basketball In United States colleges, top-tier basketball is governed by collegiate athletic bodies including National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the United States Collegiate Athleti ...
for John Thompson at
Georgetown University Georgetown University is a private research university in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded by Bishop John Carroll in 1789 as Georgetown College, the university has grown to comprise eleven undergraduate and graduate ...
. He made an immediate impact as a freshman, starting all 34 games for the Hoyas, averaging 13.1 points and 7.3 rebounds per game. But his most notable accomplishment was leading the nation in total blocked shots (169) and blocks per game (5.0); both figures led the nation and set NCAA records for a freshman at that time. Mourning's scoring and rebounding improved over the next two seasons, but his shot-blocking declined significantly, as his taller teammate Dikembe Mutombo established himself as starting center for Georgetown, forcing Mourning to play at power forward. After Mutombo entered the NBA Draft in 1991, Mourning re-took his place as starting center, and responded with a spectacular senior season in 1991-92. He averaged 21.3 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 5.0 blocks per game that year, and collected numerous awards, including Consensus First-Team All-American and Big East Conference Player of the Year. He was also named Big East Defensive Player of the Year, which he had won twice previously (as a freshman in 1988-89, and again as a sophomore in 1989-90, sharing the award with Mutombo that season; Mutombo won the award alone in 1990-91). Mourning finished his college career with 2,001 points and 1,032 rebounds, reaching the exclusive 2,000-point/1,000 rebound milestone. More impressively, he finished with 453 blocked shots in his college career, ranking first all-time in NCAA history at that time. Interestingly, Mourning was never listed as the all-time leader in Georgetown history, as the school credits Patrick Ewing with 493 blocks during his college career, but blocked shots were not an official NCAA statistic at that time.


Professional career


Charlotte Hornets

Mourning was selected second overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets, behind
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program '' Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greate ...
and before Christian Laettner. Mourning was named to the league's all-rookie team in 1993 after averaging 21.0 points, 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 the 1989–90 season 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 The Boston Celtics ( ) are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Atlantic Division. Founded in 1946 as one of t ...
. His 20-footer with .4 seconds left gave the Hornets a 104–103 victory in the game and a 3–1 victory in the series. The Hornets lost in the second round to the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
in five games, with Mourning averaging 23.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 3.4 blocks in nine playoff games. The following year, Mourning played in just 60 games, posting almost similar averages of 21.5 points, 10.2 rebounds and 3.1 blocks per game, but the Hornets missed the playoffs. In the 1994–95 season, Mourning and teammate Larry Johnson led the Hornets to a 50-win season and reached the playoffs. Mourning ranked first on the team in scoring (21.3 per game), rebounding (9.9 per game), blocked shots (2.92 per game), and field goal percentage (.519), and played in the
1995 NBA All-Star Game The 1995 NBA All-Star Game was the 45th edition of the All-Star Game. The Western Conference won 139-112. The city of Phoenix hosted the event for the second time (the only previous All-Star game there occurred in 1975). Mitch Richmond of the Sa ...
where he scored 10 points and grabbed 8 rebounds. The Hornets lost in four games to the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, despite Mourning averaging 22 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks during the series.


Miami Heat

On November 3, 1995, after Mourning rejected Charlotte's contract extension offer worth an average of $11.2 million for seven years and knowing they would not be able to re-sign him, the Hornets traded him, along with reserves
Pete Myers Peter Eddie Myers (born September 15, 1963) is an American former professional basketball player and a former assistant coach for the NBA team Chicago Bulls. Early life and college career Born in Mobile, Alabama, Myers graduated from Williamso ...
and
LeRon Ellis LeRon Perry Ellis (born April 28, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player. Ellis was considered to be one of the premier high school basketball players in the nation among the class of 1987 while playing for the top-ranked Sout ...
in exchange for Glen Rice, Matt Geiger,
Khalid Reeves Khalid Reeves (born July 15, 1972) is a former American professional basketball player who played six seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He was selected by the Miami Heat in the first round (12th pick) of the 1994 NBA draft. R ...
and a first-round pick in the 1996 NBA draft. Mourning would immediately serve as the centerpiece of the Pat Riley-coached Heat, and in his first season in Miami he averaged 23.2 points, 10.4 rebounds and 2.7 blocks per game as Miami made the playoffs before being swept in the first round by the 72-win Bulls. Mourning played in the 1996 NBA All-Star Game and was joined by All-Star point guard
Tim Hardaway Timothy Duane Hardaway Sr. (born September 1, 1966) is an American former professional basketball player. Hardaway played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for the Golden State Warriors, Miami Heat, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets a ...
who arrived through a mid-season trade. In July 1996, Mourning signed a seven-year, $105 million contract with the Heat. In the 1996–97 season, the Heat would go on to win a then franchise-record 61 games, finishing second in the Eastern Conference behind the defending champions Bulls, while Mourning averaged 19.8 points, 9.9 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game. In the playoffs, Miami defeated the
Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...
in five games, and advanced to the conference semifinals against the Knicks, where the rivalry between the Heat and the
New York Knicks The New York Knickerbockers, shortened and more commonly referred to as the New York Knicks, are an American professional basketball team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. The Knicks compete in the National Basketball Associat ...
intensified. The Knicks took a 3–1 series lead, but following a brawl between Charlie Ward and
P. J. Brown Collier "P. J." Brown Jr. (born October 14, 1969) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The , center/ power forward was selected out of Louisiana Tech University by the Ne ...
late in Game 5, multiple suspensions were handed down. Mourning scored 28 points in Game 6, followed by a 22-point, 12-rebound performance in Game 7 to help Miami advance to the Eastern Conference Finals, a franchise first, to face Chicago. The Bulls took a 3–0 series lead, and Mourning guaranteed a victory in Game 4 as the Heat won 87–80. However, with a 100–87 loss in Game 5, the Heat were eliminated by the Bulls. In the 1997–98 season, Mourning played 58 games and averaged 19.2 points, 9.6 rebounds and 2.2 blocks per game as the Heat won 55 games. However, Miami lost in the first round to the Knicks, with Mourning missing the deciding Game 5 due to a suspension caused by a fight between Mourning and former teammate Larry Johnson in Game 4. The brawl also involved Knicks head coach
Jeff Van Gundy Jeffrey William Van Gundy (born January 19, 1962) is an American commentator for ESPN and former basketball coach. He served as head coach of the New York Knicks and the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). During his ten ...
, who was seen dangling on Mourning's leg in an attempt to break up the fight. The following season, the Heat won 31 games in a lockout-shortened 50-game schedule, and Mourning won his first of two consecutive
Defensive Player of the Year Defensive Player of the Year (DPOY or DPOTY) is the name of an award given in sports for outstanding Defense (sports), defensive play by a single player over the course of a season. Many sports leagues award this type of award. League awards for D ...
awards after leading the league in blocks with 3.9 per game. Despite finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference, the Heat once again fell short to the Knicks in the first round, with
Allan Houston Allan Wade Houston (born April 20, 1971) is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1993 to 2005. A shooting guard, Houston played nine seasons for the New York Knicks; he wa ...
securing the series victory with a last-second jumper in Game 5. Mourning again led the NBA in blocks in the 1999–2000 season, this time with a 3.7 average, and won Defensive Player of the Year. Miami finished the regular season with 52 wins and faced the Knicks in the second round. But for a third straight season, the Heat lost to the Knicks in a winner-take-all game, this time in Game 7. Shortly after playing for the gold medal-winning U.S. national team in the
2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...
, Mourning was diagnosed with a serious kidney disease. Initially deemed out for the remainder of the season, Mourning returned for the final 13 games, helping the Heat win 50 games despite playing limited minutes. However, Miami was swept 3–0 in the first round by the Hornets. In the 2001–02 season, Mourning played 75 games and averaged 15.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game, earning his final All-Star nod. Despite that, the Heat missed the playoffs with a 36–46 record. Mourning missed the entire 2002–03 season as he continued to deal with a serious kidney disorder, and without their star center, the Heat won only 25 games and missed the playoffs again.


New Jersey Nets

Mourning signed a four-year deal with the New Jersey Nets in July 2003 as a free agent. On November 24, 2003, after appearing in 12 games, Mourning retired from the NBA due to complications from his kidney disease. On December 19, he underwent a successful kidney transplant. In 2004, he started practicing with the Nets again, and made the team's regular season roster during the 2004–05 season. He did not play a significant role with the Nets, however, and openly complained to the media that he wanted out of New Jersey, especially after the team traded away
Kenyon Martin Kenyon Lee Martin Sr. (born December 30, 1977) is an American former professional basketball player who played 15 seasons in the National Basketball Association (NBA). As a power forward, he played for the New Jersey Nets, Denver Nuggets, Los ...
. After playing in just 30 total games for New Jersey, Mourning was traded to the Toronto Raptors on December 17, 2004. Mourning never reported to the Raptors, and was bought out of his contract at a remaining $9 million on February 11, 2005. Raptors team officials later said that he did not meet the medical conditions to play for the team. Mourning then finished the season with the Heat being paid a second salary, the veteran's minimum.


Return to Miami

Mourning re-signed with the Heat on March 1, 2005. His role was reduced as a backup because of superstar
Shaquille O'Neal Shaquille Rashaun O'Neal ( ; born March 6, 1972), known commonly as "Shaq" ( ), is an American former professional basketball player who is a sports analyst on the television program '' Inside the NBA''. O'Neal is regarded as one of the greate ...
, although he was called upon as a starter due to O'Neal missing stretches due to injury. O'Neal and Mourning even played together on the court at times, with Mourning playing power forward. 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 first seed in Eastern Conference during the 2004–05 season. Mourning finished the regular season ranking third in blocked shots at 2.66 per game, despite only playing 20 minutes per contest. Miami swept the Nets in the first round of the playoffs, with Mourning recording 21 points and nine rebounds in just 16 minutes in Game 2. In the second round against the
Washington Wizards The Washington Wizards are an American professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C. The Wizards compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The team plays ...
, Mourning stepped in for the injured O'Neal and scored 14 points with 13 rebounds and blocked four shots in Game 3 as Miami completed another four-game sweep. Miami fell in seven games to the defending champions, the Detroit Pistons, in the Eastern Conference Finals, with Mourning leading the team in blocks with three per game for the series. On June 17, 2005, the Heat picked up the team option on Mourning, as the Heat once again overhauled their roster, acquiring other veterans seeking a title such as Antoine Walker and
Gary Payton Gary Dwayne Payton Sr. (born July 23, 1968) is an American former professional basketball player who played the point guard position. Widely considered one of the greatest point guards of all time, he is best known for his 13-year tenure with ...
. Mourning continued to serve as the Heat's backup center, and early on stepped in to serve as the team's starting center after O'Neal suffered an injury. Mourning started in 20 games out of a total of 65 games played, averaging 7.8 points and 5.5 rebounds, while finishing third in the league with 2.7 blocks per game despite playing as a reserve. In the playoffs, Mourning continued to shine in his role as a defensive player off the bench, as Miami advanced past the Bulls and the Nets before defeating the Pistons in six games to advance to the 2006 NBA Finals, the first NBA Finals in franchise history and the first for Mourning. After a 2–0 deficit, Miami won all three of its home games led by the spectacular play of
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. (; born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won three NBA cham ...
, and in Game 6 in Dallas, Mourning came off the bench to score eight points with six rebounds and a team-high five blocks to help Miami win its first NBA championship in franchise history. After winning the championship, Mourning announced that he would return to the Heat in the 2006–07 season to defend their title, despite receiving offers of more money from other teams, including the
San Antonio Spurs The San Antonio Spurs are an American professional basketball team based in San Antonio. The Spurs compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Western Conference Southwest Division. The team plays its home ...
. In 2007, Mourning announced he would return for one more year with the Heat and his 15th season. "It will definitely be my last year", Mourning said. After starting the season on a solid note averaging 6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.75 blocks in just over 16 minutes played per 24 games, Mourning tore his
patellar tendon The patellar tendon is the distal portion of the common tendon of the quadriceps femoris, which is continued from the patella to the tibial tuberosity. It is also sometimes called the patellar ligament as it forms a bone to bone connection when ...
in his right knee on December 19, 2007, during the first quarter of the 117–111 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks. During the 2007–08 season, he became the Heat's all-time leader in points scored (which has since been surpassed by
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. (; born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won three NBA cham ...
).


Retirement

Mourning announced his retirement from the NBA on January 22, 2009. In his press conference he said, "At 38 I feel like I've physically done all I can for this game." One month later, the Heat announced that they would retire Mourning's number 33 jersey, making him the first Heat player to be so honored. The jersey retirement ceremony occurred on March 30, 2009, when the Heat hosted the
Orlando Magic The Orlando Magic are an American professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. The Magic compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the league's Eastern Conference Southeast Division. The franchise was establ ...
. During the extended halftime ceremony, Mourning was introduced by Florida Governor
Charlie Crist Charles Joseph Crist Jr. (; born July 24, 1956) is an American attorney and politician who served as the 44th governor of Florida from 2007 to 2011 and as the U.S. representative for from 2017 to 2022. Crist has been a member of the Democratic ...
; former Georgetown University basketball coach John Thompson; Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing; Heat players
Dwyane Wade Dwyane Tyrone Wade Jr. (; born January 17, 1982) is an American former professional basketball player. Wade spent the majority of his 16-year career playing for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and won three NBA cham ...
and Udonis Haslem; and Heat head coach Pat Riley. In May 2009, he was named to the Hampton Roads Sports Hall of Fame, which honors athletes, coaches, and administrators who contributed to sports in southeastern Virginia. In the following April, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding high school, collegiate, and professional career as well as his commitment to volunteer service in the communities in which he has lived and worked throughout his life. Mourning announced his return to the Heat in late June 2009; he holds the position of vice president of player programs and development, which covers community outreach and mentoring young players. Mourning played in a basketball game for
Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II ( ; born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who served as the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party (United States), Democratic Party, Obama was the first Af ...
's 50th birthday at the basketball court at the White House in 2011. In addition to Mourning, the game featured Shane Battier, LeBron James,
Magic Johnson Earvin "Magic" Johnson Jr. (born August 14, 1959) is an American former professional basketball player. He is often regarded as the greatest point guard of all-time and has been compared with Stephen Curry. Johnson played 13 seasons in the ...
,
Maya Moore Maya April Moore (born June 11, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the Minnesota Lynx, who is currently on sabbatical. Naming her their inaugural Performer of the Year in 2017, ''Sports Illustrated'' called Moore the greatest ...
, Joakim Noah, Chris Paul and
Derrick Rose Derrick Martell Rose (born October 4, 1988) is an American professional basketball player for the New York Knicks of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played one year of college basketball for the Memphis Tigers before being draft ...
and Obama's friends from high school.
Kobe Bryant Kobe Bean Bryant ( ; August 23, 1978 – January 26, 2020) was an American professional basketball player. A shooting guard, he spent his entire 20-year career with the Los Angeles Lakers in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Widely r ...
and Bill Russell were spectators. On April 7, 2014, it was announced that Mourning would be inducted into the
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is an American history museum and hall of fame, located at 1000 Hall of Fame Avenue in Springfield, Massachusetts. It serves as basketball's most complete library, in addition to promoting and pres ...
on August 8. On March 26, 2019, Mourning was named to the FIBA Hall of Fame, and was inducted on August 30.


Awards and achievements

* 3-time NBA champion: 2006 (as a player), 2012, 2013 (as vice president of player programs) * 7-time NBA All-Star: 1994–1997, 2000–2002 * 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 * NBA All-Rookie First Team: 1993 * J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award: 2002 * 2-time NBA blocks leader: 1999, 2000 * Heat franchise second leading scorer with 9,459 points * Won gold at the
1994 FIBA World Championship The 1994 FIBA World Championship was the 12th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's teams. The tournament was hosted by Canada from August 4 to 14, 1994. The tournament was held at SkyDome and Maple ...
and the
2000 Summer Olympics The 2000 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the XXVII Olympiad and also known as Sydney 2000 ( Dharug: ''Gadigal 2000''), the Millennium Olympic Games or the Games of the New Millennium, was an international multi-sport event held from ...
with the United States national team * Won bronze at the
1990 FIBA World Championship The 1990 FIBA World Championship was the 11th FIBA World Championship, the international basketball world championship for men's teams. It was hosted by Argentina from 8 to 19 August 1990. The final phase of the competition was held at the Luna P ...
with the United States national team * McDonald's All-American Game MVP : 1988 *
Mr. Basketball USA Mr. Basketball USA, formerly known as the ''ESPN RISE'' National Player of the Year and EA SPORTS National Player of the Year, is an award presented to the United States boys' high school basketball national player of the year by Ballislife.com. ...
: 1988 * Naismith Prep Player of the Year: 1988 * USA Today High School Player of the Year: 1988 * 2× First-team ''Parade'' All-American: 1987, 1988 * Second-team ''Parade'' All-American: 1986 * Virginia Mr. Basketball: 1988


Charitable work

In 1997, Mourning established Alonzo Mourning Charities Inc. to aid in the development of children and families living in at-risk situations and provides support and services that enhance the lives of youth of promise. After being diagnosed with focal glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), Mourning launched Zo's Fund for Life, a campaign which seeks to raise funds for research, education, and testing to fight focal glomerulosclerosis. Funds are allocated toward research for a cure, education for doctors and the general public, testing for early detection and a fund for those not able to afford medication. In 2007, Mourning along with
Andre Agassi Andre Kirk Agassi ( ; born April 29, 1970) is an American former List of ATP number 1 ranked singles players, world No. 1 tennis player. He is an eight-time Grand Slam (tennis)#Tournaments, major champion and an Tennis at the 1996 Summer Olympic ...
,
Muhammad Ali Muhammad Ali (; born Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr.; January 17, 1942 – June 3, 2016) was an American professional boxer and activist. Nicknamed "The Greatest", he is regarded as one of the most significant sports figures of the 20th century, ...
, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Mia Hamm,
Jeff Gordon Jeffery Michael Gordon (born August 4, 1971) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, who is the Vice Chairman for Hendrick Motorsports. He raced full-time from 1993 to 2015, driving the No. 24 Chevrolet for Hendrick M ...
,
Tony Hawk Anthony Frank Hawk (born May 12, 1968), nicknamed Birdman, is an American professional skateboarder, entrepreneur, and the owner of the skateboard company Birdhouse. A pioneer of modern vertical skateboarding, Hawk completed the first documen ...
, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee,
Mario Lemieux Mario Lemieux (; ; born October 5, 1965) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played parts of 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Pittsburgh Penguins between 1984 and 2006, and he assumed ownership of the ...
, and Cal Ripken Jr. founded Athletes for Hope, a charitable organization, which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community. In 2003, he also founded the Overtown Youth Center for underprivileged kids, located in Miami, Florida. The program aims to inspire, empower, and enrich these children while teaching them to become positive contributing citizens. In 2009, the Miami-Dade school board named a new high school in North Miami, Florida, in his honor,
Alonzo and Tracy Mourning Senior High Biscayne Bay Campus Alonzo is both a given name and a Spanish surname. Notable people with the name include: Mononym * Alonzo (rapper), French singer and hip hop artist, formerly Segnor Alonzo of Psy 4 de la Rime Given name * Alonzo de Barcena, 16th-century Sp ...
.


Personal life

Mourning and his ex-wife Tracy have three children. Like his father, his oldest son, Trey Mourning played for the Georgetown Hoyas basketball team, wearing his father's signature number 33 jersey. They resided in Pinecrest, Florida, where Mourning purchased a two-story, 9,786-square-foot residence for $4.5 million in 2012. On June 26, 2019, Trey was included on the Miami Heat roster for the 2019 NBA Summer League, and was later selected second overall by the Sioux Falls Skyforce of the
NBA G League The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) from 2001 to 2005, and the NBA D ...
in the
2019 NBA G League draft The 2019 NBA G League draft was the 19th draft of the NBA G League, National Basketball Association G League. The draft was held on October 26, 2019, just before the 2019–20 NBA G League season, 2019–20 season. Anthony Lawrence II was selecte ...
. In July 2011, Mourning was sued by Miami-based lawyer Spencer Aronfeld on behalf of Alberto Candoleria for crashing his car into another car and then leaving the scene of the accident. The
Florida Highway Patrol The Florida Highway Patrol (FHP) is a division of the Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles. It is Florida's highway patrol and is the primary law enforcement agency charged with investigating traffic crashes and criminal laws ...
later charged Mourning with leaving the scene of a car accident. The accident allegedly occurred after he left Chris Bosh's wedding in Miami Beach after 3:00 a.m. Candoleria had just been in an accident when Mourning struck his car. In 2015, Mourning was one of eight Virginians honored in the Library of Virginia's "Strong Men & Women in Virginia History" for his charitable work and for his contributions to the sport of basketball.


Kidney transplant

On November 25, 2003, Mourning's cousin and a retired U. S. Marine, Jason Cooper, was visiting Mourning's gravely ill grandmother in the hospital. Mourning's father was present and informed Cooper that Mourning was retiring that day from the NBA because of a life-threatening kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, 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, whom 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); during his grandmother's funeral, Mourning received the news that Jason Cooper was a match. Mourning received Cooper's left kidney on December 19, 2003.


NBA career statistics


Regular season

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1992–93 , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, 78 , , 78 , , 33.9 , , .511 , , .000 , , .781 , , 10.3 , , 1.0 , , .3 , , 3.5 , , 21.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1993–94 , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, 60 , , 59 , , 33.6 , , .505 , , .000 , , .762 , , 10.2 , , 1.4 , , .5 , , 3.1 , , 21.5 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1994–95 , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, 77 , , 77 , , 38.2 , , .519 , , .324 , , .761 , , 9.9 , , 1.4 , , .6 , , 2.9 , , 21.3 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1995–96 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 70 , , 70 , , 38.2 , , .523 , , .300 , , .685 , , 10.4 , , 2.3 , , 1.0 , , 2.7 , , 23.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1996–97 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 66 , , 65 , , 35.2 , , .534 , , .111 , , .642 , , 9.9 , , 1.6 , , .8 , , 2.9 , , 19.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1997–98 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 58 , , 56 , , 33.4 , , .551 , , .000 , , .665 , , 9.6 , , .9 , , .7 , , 2.2 , , 19.2 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1998–99 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 46 , , 46 , , 38.1 , , .511 , , .000 , , .652 , , 11.0 , , 1.6 , , .7 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 3.9* , , 20.1 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1999–00 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 79 , , 78 , , 34.8 , , .551 , , .000 , , .711 , , 9.5 , , 1.6 , , .5 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 3.7* , , 21.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2000–01 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 13 , , 3 , , 23.5 , , .518 , , .000 , , .564 , , 7.8 , , .9 , , .3 , , 2.4 , , 13.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2001–02 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 75 , , 74 , , 32.7 , , .516 , , .333 , , .657 , , 8.4 , , 1.2 , , .4 , , 2.5 , , 15.7 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2003–04 , style="text-align:left;",
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, 12 , , 0 , , 17.9 , , .465 , , .000 , , .882 , , 2.3 , , .7 , , .2 , , .5 , , 8.0 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2004–05 , style="text-align:left;",
New Jersey New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delawa ...
, 18 , , 14 , , 25.4 , , .453 , , .000 , , .593 , , 7.1 , , .8 , , .3 , , 2.3 , , 10.4 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2004–05 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 19 , , 3 , , 12.9 , , .516 , , .000 , , .564 , , 3.7 , , .2 , , .2 , , 1.7 , , 5.0 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;", 2005–06† , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 65 , , 20 , , 20.0 , , .597 , , .000 , , .594 , , 5.5 , , .2 , , .2 , , 2.7 , , 7.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2006–07 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 77 , , 43 , , 20.4 , , .560 , , .000 , , .601 , , 4.5 , , .2 , , .2 , , 2.3 , , 8.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2007–08 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 25 , , 0 , , 15.6 , , .547 , , .000 , , .592 , , 3.7 , , .3 , , .2 , , 1.7 , , 6.0 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 838 , , 686 , , 31.0 , , .527 , , .247 , , .692 , , 8.5 , , 1.1 , , .5 , , 2.8 , , 17.1 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", All-Star , 4 , , 1 , , 18.8 , , .545 , , .000 , , .667 , , 4.8 , , 1.0 , , .8 , , 2.0 , , 10.0


Playoffs

, - , style="text-align:left;", 1993 , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, 9 , , 9 , , 40.8 , , .480 , , .000 , , .774 , , 9.9 , , 1.4 , , .7 , , 3.4 , , 23.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1995 , style="text-align:left;",
Charlotte Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most populo ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 43.5 , , .421 , , .500 , , .837 , , 13.3 , , 2.8 , , .8 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 3.3* , , 22.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1996 File:1996 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: A bomb explodes at Centennial Olympic Park in Atlanta, set off by a radical anti-abortionist; The center fuel tank explodes on TWA Flight 800, causing the plane to crash and killing everyone o ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 30.7 , , .486 , , .000 , , .714 , , 6.0 , , 1.3 , , .7 , , 1.0 , , 18.0 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1997 File:1997 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The movie set of ''Titanic'', the highest-grossing movie in history at the time; '' Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone'', is published; Comet Hale-Bopp passes by Earth and becomes one of ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 17 , , 17 , , 37.1 , , .491 , , .375 , , .555 , , 10.2 , , 1.1 , , .6 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 2.7* , , 17.8 , - , style="text-align:left;", 1998 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 4 , , 4 , , 34.5 , , .518 , , .000 , , .655 , , 8.5 , , 1.3 , , .8 , , 2.5 , , 19.3 , - , style="text-align:left;",
1999 File:1999 Events Collage.png, From left, clockwise: The funeral procession of King Hussein of Jordan in Amman; the 1999 İzmit earthquake kills over 17,000 people in Turkey; the Columbine High School massacre, one of the first major school shoot ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 5 , , 5 , , 38.8 , , .521 , , .000 , , .653 , , 8.2 , , .8 , , 1.6 , , 2.8 , , 21.6 , - , style="text-align:left;", 2000 , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 10 , , 10 , , 37.6 , , .484 , , .000 , , .667 , , 10.0 , , 1.4 , , .2 , , style="background:#cfecec;", 3.3* , , 21.6 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2001 The September 11 attacks against the United States by Al-Qaeda, which killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror, were a defining event of 2001. The United States led a multi-national coalition in an invasion of Afghanist ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 3 , , 3 , , 30.3 , , .480 , , .000 , , .579 , , 5.3 , , 1.0 , , .0 , , 1.7 , , 11.7 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2005 File:2005 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: Hurricane Katrina in the Gulf of Mexico; the Funeral of Pope John Paul II is held in Vatican City; " Me at the zoo", the first video ever to be uploaded to YouTube; Eris was discover ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 15 , , 2 , , 16.9 , , .705 , , .000 , , .558 , , 4.8 , , .3 , , .3 , , 2.2 , , 6.1 , - , style="text-align:left; background:#afe6ba;",
2006 File:2006 Events Collage V1.png, From top left, clockwise: The 2006 Winter Olympics open in Turin; Twitter is founded and launched by Jack Dorsey; The Nintendo Wii is released; Montenegro votes to declare independence from Serbia; The 2006 ...
† , style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 21 , , 0 , , 10.8 , , .703 , , .000 , , .667 , , 2.9 , , .1 , , .2 , , 1.1 , , 3.8 , - , style="text-align:left;",
2007 File:2007 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Steve Jobs unveils Apple Inc., Apple's first iPhone (1st generation), iPhone; TAM Airlines Flight 3054 overruns a runway and crashes into a gas station, killing almost 200 people; Former Pakis ...
, style="text-align:left;",
Miami Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a coastal metropolis and the county seat of Miami-Dade County in South Florida, United States. With a population of 442,241 at ...
, 4 , , 0 , , 13.8 , , .909 , , .000 , , .385 , , 2.0 , , .3 , , .0 , , .8 , , 6.3 , - class="sortbottom" , style="text-align:center;" colspan="2", Career , 95 , , 57 , , 27.3 , , .512 , , .368 , , .649 , , 7.0 , , .9 , , .5 , , 2.3 , , 13.6


See also

* List of National Basketball Association career blocks leaders *
List of National Basketball Association career playoff blocks leaders This article provides two lists: :A list of National Basketball Association players by total career playoff blocked shots recorded. :A progressive list of blocked shots leaders showing how the record increased through the years. Playoff blocked ...
*
List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career blocks leaders __NOTOC__ In basketball, a block (short for blocked shot) occurs when a defender deflects or stops a field goal attempt without committing a foul. The top 25 highest blocks totals in NCAA Division I men's basketball history are listed below. ...
* List of NCAA Division I men's basketball season blocks leaders *
List of NCAA Division I men's basketball career free throw scoring leaders In basketball, a free throw is "an opportunity given to a player to score one (1) point, uncontested, from position behind the free throw line and inside the semicircle." The National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA) Division I is the h ...
* List of NCAA Division I men's basketball players with 2000 points and 1000 rebounds


References


External links

* *
Mourning's acceptance speech
for the 2015 Strong Men & Women in Virginia History event on
YouTube YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mourning, Alonzo 1970 births Living people 1990 FIBA World Championship players 1994 FIBA World Championship players African-American basketball players All-American college men's basketball players American men's basketball players Basketball players at the 2000 Summer Olympics Basketball players from Virginia Centers (basketball) Charlotte Hornets draft picks Charlotte Hornets players Competitors at the 1990 Goodwill Games FIBA Hall of Fame inductees FIBA World Championship-winning players Georgetown Hoyas men's basketball players Goodwill Games medalists in basketball Kidney transplant recipients McDonald's High School All-Americans Medalists at the 2000 Summer Olympics Miami Heat players Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees National Basketball Association All-Stars National Basketball Association players with retired numbers New Jersey Nets players Olympic gold medalists for the United States in basketball Parade High School All-Americans (boys' basketball) Sportspeople from Chesapeake, Virginia United States men's national basketball team players 21st-century African-American sportspeople 20th-century African-American sportspeople