Mourning attended Georgetown university and became just one of many of a long line of quality centers produced by the university who went onto NBA stardom. Mourning played 4 years at Georgetown averaging 17 points and 9 rebounds in 120 career games.

The Charlotte Hornets made Mourning the second overall pick in 1992. Zo had a solid rookie season with the Hornets averaging 21 points and 10 rebounds. His numbered increased slightly his second year and he was selected to his first all-star game.

Mourning became the first true star of the Hornets along with Larry Johnson. The front court was one of the best in the NBA in the early 90s and lead the Hornets to the playoffs twice. The Hornets would not keep duo together for long and in 1995, after just 3 seasons, traded Mourning to the Miami Heat for Glen Rice.

Mourning would have his best seasons with the Miami Heat making 5 all-star appearances as a member of the team. His first year with the Heat he averaged a career high 23 points a game. In 1997 he helped the Miami Heat reach the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in their history.

Injuries have always been a factor in Alonzo Mourning’s career. He has missed significant time in 10 of his 16 seasons. In fact he has only played 75 or more games 5 times and has never played a full 82 game slate.

Mourning’s offensive numbers began to dip in the late 1990s as the Heat added more talent and Mourning focused on defense more. He was named the NBA’s defensive player of the year in both 1999 and 2000.

During the summer of 2001 Mourning was diagnosed with a Kidney ailment which required him to miss a lot of games and forced him into a de facto retirement in 2002. He would not play at all in the 2002-03 season but would get well enough to play in 2003 and signed with the New Jersey Nets.

Mourning played just 18 games averaging 10 points a game for the Nets before he was traded to Toronto for Vince Carter. Mourning did not want to play for the Raptors and forced them to eat his contract. He was waived and re-signed with the Miami Heat.

The Heat who had rebuilt in the year and a half since Mourning last played for them used the aging superstar as a mentor for the younger players. Mourning was part of the 2006 Heat team which won the NBA title. He retired in 2008 having played in 838 career games averaging 17 points and 8 rebounds.

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