Alonzo Mourning

Mourning was selected second overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets, behind Shaquille O'Neal and before Christian Laettner.[5] 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.[6] 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. 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 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 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.

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 and LeRon Ellis in exchange for Glen Rice, Matt Geiger, Khalid Reeves and a first-round pick in the 1996 NBA draft.[7]

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 who arrived through a mid-season trade.

In July 1996, Mourning signed a seven-year, $105 million contract with the Heat.[8] 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 in five games, and advanced to the conference semifinals against the Knicks, where the rivalry between the Heat and the New York Knicks intensified. The Knicks took a 3–1 series lead, but following a brawl between Charlie Ward and P. J. Brown 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.[9] However, with a 100–87 loss in Game 5, the Heat were eliminated by the Bulls.

Mourning signed a four-year deal with the New Jersey Nets in July 2003 as a free agent.[10][11] But on November 24, 2003, Mourning retired from the NBA due to complications from his kidney disease.[12][13] On December 19, he underwent a successful kidney transplant.[14] 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.[15][16] Mourning was traded to the Toronto Raptors on December 17, 2004.[17][18] 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.[19][20][21] Mourning then finished the season with the Heat being paid a second salary, the veteran's minimum.[22]

Mourning re-signed with the Heat on March 1, 2005.[23] His role was reduced as a backup because of superstar Shaquille O'Neal, 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, 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,[24] as the Heat once again overhauled their roster, acquiring other veterans seeking a title such as Antoine Walker and Gary Payton.[25][26] 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, 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.[27] 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.[28] 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,[29] Mourning tore his patellar tendon in his right knee[30] on December 19, 2007, during the first quarter of the 117–111 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks.[31][32]

During the 2007–08 season, he became the Heat's all-time leader in points scored (which has since been surpassed by Dwyane Wade).

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.[57][58]

Mourning received Cooper's left kidney on December 19, 2003.[56][58]