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Alonzo Mourning

by Michael from Leawood

Alonzo Mourning (http://www.peoples.ru/sport/basketball/mourning/)
Alonzo Mourning (http://www.peoples.ru/sport/basketball/mourning/)

It’s not what Alonzo Mourning does on the court that makes him a hero; it’s what he’s lived through off of the court. In 2002 he had a kidney failure, which lead to focal glomerulosclerosis. Last year he came back to help the Miami Heat make it to the Eastern Conference Finals and was a contributing player off the bench. For him it was one big step back to being one of the most dominant centers in the 90’s.

Alonzo, nicknamed ‘Zo, was born on February 8, 1970 in Chesapeake, Virginia. He went to the University of Georgetown, and was drafted second overall by the Hornets right behind fellow center Shaquille O’Neal. He was a dominant center and played very well throughout the ‘90's.

In 2002, he was diagnosed with focal glomerulosclerosis. This is a disease that consists of “inflammation of the kidney’s filtering units,” according to the National Kidney Foundation. It also includes high protein loss in your urine. Usually only about half the people diagnosed with this disease will be cured. Mourning ended up getting a kidney transplant, and by 2002-2003, was healthy enough to come back to play. He signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets, where he didn’t contribute too much off the bench. Even after he was released in 2004 and was signed by his former team, the Miami Heat, he worked hard, and last year played 19 games off the bench for the Heat. During his 13-year career he has been named to seven all-star teams, and has won the NBA Defensive Player of The Year award twice. He holds the Charlotte/New Orleans Hornets record for most career-blocked shots. He has scored more points, and had more assists than what was predicted by most people.

I think Alonzo Mourning is my hero because he has survived nearly the worst of conditions. There are an extremely slim number of people that have the talent to play in the NBA. It takes a lot of hard work, perseverance, as well as patience to come back from a severe injury like a kidney disease. This disease should have been a career-ending injury, so for athletes it’s as much mental as it is physical. After being sick and in so much pain, most people would take the easy way out. They would want quit at the thought of having to work everyday just to get back to being what they once were. That’s not what Alonzo Mourning did. He didn’t give up; instead he worked twice as hard to earn his spot back on the New Jersey Nets. They didn’t think he had worked hard enough and released him, but he didn’t give up. He worked even harder and was signed by the Heat. They played him because they thought he was good enough to play, and that he could contribute leadership to a young team that has the chance to win a championship.

Alonzo Mourning has slowly worked his way back into the NBA, even though he is at the "old" age of 35 (an advanced age in the NBA). Very few players possess the talent required to make it to the NBA. But then with the players that do have the talent, there are an even fewer number of players that have the will to work hard enough to reach their full potential. Up until 2001, Alonzo Mourning had the work ethic, and after his kidney failure, he’s had to work even harder to earn his way back into the NBA. Alonzo Mourning's story has inspired many others not to give up.

Page created on 10/13/2005 12:00:00 AM

Last edited 10/13/2005 12:00:00 AM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.

Related Links

Bibliography

Unknown. "Alonzo Mourning Bio." [Online] Available http://www.bballone.com/alonzom/alonzomourningbio.html.

Unknown. "Alonzo Mourning." [Online] Available http://www.peoples.ru/sport/basketball/mourning/.

Unknown. "Focal Glomerulosclerosis." [Online] Available http://www.kidney.org/atoz/atozItem.cfm?id=63.

Unknown. "Alonzo Mourning." [Online] Available http://www.nba.com/playerfile/alonzo_mourning/bio.html.