No More Mourning

After 15 NBA Seasons, Former Hoya Mourning Retires

After a 15-season NBA career, Alonzo Mourning has decided to retire.  Mourning, who is a lock for the NBA Hall of Fame, is certainly one of the greatest Hoyas of all time.

The fearsome All-Star who grew up in Chesapeake, Virginia starred for four seasons with Georgetown.  He littered the Hoyas' record book with an array of blocked shots and rebounds, continuing the long string of dominant centers rolled out by John Thompson.

His senior season in '91-'92 was for the ages.  He scored over 21 points per game with nearly 11 rebounds.  He added 160 blocks, which is #2 all-time at Georgetown to his freshman total of 169. 

'Zo didn't win a NCAA championship, but his teams went as far as his big body could carry them.

But those who speak of Mourning don't necessarily speak of his impressive numbers.  They rave about his heart, his dedication, and the strength of his character.  In December 2003, he underwent a kidney transplant and rather than retiring, he rehabbed and came back to ultimately win his first NBA championship as a member of the Miami Heat.

The Washington Post caught up with him on Tuesday, as he led a busload of children from Miami to take in the inauguration.  It was typical. Mourning is known for his charity work, providing scholarships and helping raise funds for the kidney disease that slowed his NBA career.

But it wasn't that disease that ended it --  just a knee injury, one that he, too, has rehabbed from.  He could come back, but he has nothing left to prove.

As he told reporters in Miami, "I can think of a million people right now that would have loved to walk the path I've walked. The ups and the downs made it even more joyous."

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