Alonzo Mourning Tenure
Alonzo Mourning: The cornerstone of Miami's late-1990s resurgence, whose tenure was interrupted by kidney disease and an August 2002 trade to the Nets.
Alonzo Mourning was acquired by the Miami Heat via trade in the mid-1990s, after Pat Riley became team president and head coach. Mourning, along with Tim Hardaway, led the Heat to four consecutive division titles from 1996–97 through 1999–2000 before he was traded to the New Jersey Nets in August 2002, during the offseason after missing most of the 2001–02 season due to kidney disease.
Quick Facts
- Draft year
- 1992
- Jersey number
- 33
- Position
- Center
- Major honors
- NBA Champion (2006), Defensive Player of the Year
- Status
- Retired; Franchise Legend
Lore & Background
Mourning was not drafted by the Heat; he was originally drafted by the Charlotte Hornets in 1992. He joined Miami in 1995 after a trade engineered by Pat Riley. Mourning and Hardaway transformed the Heat into a championship contender, and the team achieved a franchise-record 61 wins in the 1996–97 season. After missing most of the 2001–02 season due to kidney disease, Mourning was traded to the New Jersey Nets in August 2002. He later returned to the Heat as a backup to Shaquille O'Neal during the 2004–05 season.
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