We're Zo Proud of You
Alonzo Mourning's jersey will be retired during tonight's game
Tuesday, Mar 31, 2009 | Updated 5:40 AM EST
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Zo during a game against the Atlanta Hawks in 2007.
Alonzo Mourning's revelation started at President Barack Obama's inauguration, where well-wishers kept asking about his health. It continued weeks later in Florida's capital city, meeting with Gov. Charlie Crist about improving medical coverage for kidney disease sufferers.
He simply realized basketball wasn't such a priority anymore.
"There's a lot more things that I believe I can accomplish," Mourning said.
So on to the next chapter - but not before one more celebration of his 15-year career takes place when the Miami Heat host the Orlando Magic. Mourning's No. 33 jersey will be retired today, making him the first Heat player so honored by the organization.
"To have an organization recognize your accomplishments and honor you for your contribution, it's a humbling moment," Mourning said. "There's not a lot of people who have an opportunity to experience that. And being the first, it's going to be tremendously humbling. It'll be very difficult for me to hold back my emotions, because as a player, you never want it to end."
Monday was chosen so Mourning's friend, fellow Georgetown alum Patrick Ewing - a Magic assistant - could be there. So will former Hoyas coach John Thompson and Mourning's Georgetown roommate, Dikembe Mutombo, along with Jason Cooper, Mourning's cousin and donor of his transplanted kidney in December 2003.
Mourning played his last game Dec. 19, 2007 in Atlanta, exactly four years after his lifesaving kidney transplant. He considered a comeback this season after recovering from knee and leg injuries, but the risks of returning outweighed the potential reward.
Monday is about Mourning's former career. Tuesday, he'll resume his new one. He'll be at his foundation's office, figuring out ways to help those not as fortunate as he's been over the years.
"If I have the ability to help people, I can't ignore it," Mourning said. "My family's taken care of, I'm taken care of, but I'm not moving to some island. There's people that have supported me my whole life, fans, I'm not going to ignore them. I can't sleep at night knowing there's still so much work to be done."
Copyright Associated Press
Posted Tuesday, Jul 14, 2009 - 4:29 PM EST
