NBA / Jan 22, 2009 / 2:00 pm
Alonzo Mourning Hangs It Up
‘ZoAlonzo Mourning, perhaps the greatest player in Heat history, announced his retirement this afternoon in a news conference in Miami. Mourning ends his career averaging 17.1 points, 8.5 rebounds and 2.8 blocks per game. He’s a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year, a seven-time All-Star, and a gold medalist from the 2000 Olympics.
Will ‘Zo be a first ballot Hall of Famer?
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Prof. TX says:
Mourning was good enough to be considered one of the best during the nba’s golden age of centers. He wasn’t ‘the’ best, but was always on the list of fearsome bigs in that time. He had to contend with guys like Olajuwon, Shaq, Ewing, Robinson, and the others. That and his numbers make for a nice resume.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:17 pm
Ibleedraptorpurple says:
who cares?
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:26 pm
fallinup says:
He was one of my favorite players back in his younger days. Always loved his grit and energy. The LJ/Zo Hornet days were a one of a kind era. And lest not forget the 90’s Miami Heat. Still one of the best rivalries in history were the 90’s Knicks/Heat series of battles. The Zo vs. LJ flying haymaker-fest. His last second shot in the playoffs during his run with the Hornets when he fell to the ground and raised his fists when the shot went in. It’s a pity that his medical conditions got the better of him during his prime. Zo deserves more than 1 ring.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:29 pm
George W Kush Sr says:
He’s Hall Of Fame for sure, should be first ballot. Like Prof.TX said, dude was puttin up numbers against guys like Ewing, Shaq, Robinson and Hakeem and etc. The average center today would get manhandled by these guys. Zo is a Famer for sure.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:32 pm
Nigel says:
Zo is without qestion a HOFer in my mind. He was one of the fiercest competitors to play. An amazing defensive presence and one of the greatest shotblockers ever. He had to go up against the likes of Hakeem, Shaq, Ewing,and Robinson in his prime and was still able to hold his own as a good player in this league. Not too mention his will to continue to play after his kidney transplant. For him to be able to come back after something like this s remarkable. He wasn’t as good after that, but he was still a nice role player off the bench and a great shot blocker; including that championship Heat team he was on. He has also been active in the community. I belive that Zo should be on the first ballot for Springfield as soon as he’s elgible.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:36 pm
GEE...From pasadena to medina says:
That is why the RAPS SUCK!
Anyway yes he is a 1st Ballot to me and he was already and will continually be missed. Dude was fearless and a serious competitor.
Picture the tenacity of K.G. without the talk. A Warrior is was on and off the court.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:37 pm
GEE...From pasadena to medina says:
Like the lil mini Zo toy where the picture would be. Way to switch it up.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:39 pm
E$ says:
http://s150.photobucket.com/albums/s112/Hustlezhard/?action=view¤t=shaq.flv
shaq should hang up that coat he wore last night in New York
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:40 pm
lifep says:
@ Ibleedraptorpurple…HUSH MOUTH YOUNG’N!!
Big Up to Zo…He held is own for almost two decades. To be 6′10″, he always played like a 7 footer.
Definitely first ballot HOFer..
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
MoxWestCoastRep says:
Im gonna say NO. And here is my reason-
Of all the centers yall mentioned; Shaq, Ewing, Dream and Robinson you would have to consider him 5th on that list. Even Mutombo has to be considered before Zo.
So maybe he gets in, but if hes on the ballott with these guys its not gonna happen.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:42 pm
Marian says:
He was just the gratest worrior of the game.
no one played every game with such energy. KG comes near but Zo was always on his own level.
in the late 90s people feared playin him and thy knew why.
whe way he came back from the desease shows is passion even more. in the 06 finals he showed how he still could change games wenn ich rejected everything the mavs brought.
Zo will be missed if he doesn’t deserve the all of fame no one does. not because he was the best basketball player of all times, but because no one lived this sport more!
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:45 pm
Mark says:
Does this mean Miami is in need of a center? I hear Jermaine O’Neal is available…
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:48 pm
AY says:
he punked toronto and didn’t show up when they traded for him, can’t let that one go.
other than being unprofessional, great player, should get in.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:50 pm
Andrews says:
We definitely need a Center now more then ever. Looks like Plan B of Zo being there for us down the stretch isn’t happening! Bring on Plan A of J. O’Neal!! Hope that Moon kid is included, dudes got freak hops!
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:56 pm
Prof. TX says:
All of the guys being listed are already in or are going to be. Olajuwon and Ewing already made it. Shaq’s an easy call and Robinson is on his way there. Mutombo could make it too, being second on the blocked shots list and with a reputation for being such a good defender.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:57 pm
Blue says:
Zo is pretty much a lock for first ballot HOF. more than just his numbers, he was is everything that the sport wants their players to be with his grit and perseverance. along with his charitable work, he’s more than just a basketball player, and the voters will recognize that. (all that is aside from the toronto thing, of course)
i’m disappointed he won’t be joining the heat this season though! would’ve liked to have seen him go out another way than he actually did.
January 22nd, 2009 at 2:59 pm
Vince says:
thanks zo. one of the greatest centers in nba history, one of the best defenders and a true warriors, i dont care what those dinosaurs in canada think. zo was the reason miami got their rings, when shaq couldnt get it done in the play offs.
great great player.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:05 pm
Vince says:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9AnTgjW46rM
that’s a great player
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:13 pm
LAballer says:
im happy he got a ring before he retired..he more than deserved one..great memories of zo man..dude was a true warrior and was built like a machine..and he actually did help the heat win that chip off the bench..so it wasnt like he bandwagoned a ring..i was hopin he’d come back but im just happy with the memories..and to the fool who wrote “who cares?” plenty of people do bruh..the true ball fans at least..
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:26 pm
ianodelaleza says:
man thats sad i was hopin we could get the rest of the season out of him, but he deserves his retirement, coming back from the whole kidney thing was outstanding and the shaq/zo combo in miami was very underated when it came to the reason for their success!
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=JRTF0QU8LiM
now thats a nice mix of the zo!
nuff sed
IDL
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:38 pm
Big V says:
Possibly Hall of Fame, but I don’t think he’s a first ballot player.
He just wasn’t that nice. Sorry.
January 22nd, 2009 at 3:39 pm
the Heckler says:
there is no doubt alonzo mourning gets into the basketball hall of fame. remember bitches….its not the NBA hall of fame….its the BASKETBALL hall of fame.
None of you bitches mentioned his college career at georgetown. a top university. big east player of the year twice and defensive player of the year twice. and i think a final four appearance. all that along with his nba resume….yeah. dude gets in the hall easily i’d say.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:20 pm
miamiVIS3 says:
It’s kind of a shame to see such a great player move on after how his career ended but I think overall it’s bettter for the Heat at the moment. Right now the Heat need people who are going to be around long term and not having to reserve a spot for him opens uo soace for them to teade to upgrade their current center situation. It would also open up resigning Shaun Livngston. All that being said he will surely be missed and deserves to be a First ballot hall of famer.
@MoxWestCoastRep
I’m pretty sure the ballot you’re on depends on the year you retire.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:21 pm
GEE...From pasadena to medina says:
None of you scrotums mentioned his Pee-Wee League days.
Don’t forget in the pee-wee leagues he was the MVP and voted 4 times to Pee-Wee 1st team. Since nobody mentioned that either.
He don’t even need his college career to count. Had he been a scrub in college and still did what he did in the L. He still will go in first ballot.
January 22nd, 2009 at 4:36 pm
Ian says:
first ballot no
i agree with post 10
hes boderline at best
yall talk about when he went up the other elite centers
but the others in their prime had numbers wayyyy better than zo’s
ill have 2 memories of him one as the dude that pushed hill after being posterized and 2 ask vince carter.
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:07 pm
the cynic says:
Why is Zo a first ballot HOF? Sure he was a good player that brought intensity, but Zo never dominated or took over a game at least on the offensive end. He never took his teams anywhere, but the snooze factory. Zo was always a borderline All-Star quality player to me, and shouldn’t be considered anything more then borderline HOF.
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:12 pm
E$ says:
Dime, who had the better career out of Ewing and Zo?
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:20 pm
Ian says:
E
really????
i always thought that ewing was a notch below shaq/admiral/hakeem but this comparison is kinda of an insult to patrick
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:21 pm
K Dizzle says:
Why dudes gettin upset about Raps fans sayin dude was a punk cuz he got traded and refused to report. Everybody got an opinion. Don’t means yours holds more weight. Dude can be both. He was a warrior who was undersized and brought it every night AND he was unprofessional in not acceptin a trade. You can have both
January 22nd, 2009 at 5:29 pm
Ian says:
kdizzle
u r right
and i cant hold that against him he didnt have much time left and wanted a ring nothing wrong imo about finishin your career on a good team.
January 22nd, 2009 at 8:02 pm
fallinup says:
“Sure he was a good player that brought intensity, but Zo never dominated or took over a game at least on the offensive end.”
If I’m not mistaken. There was a season or two in his Charolotte years that LJ was hurt a lot and Zo pretty much carried that team. Those to me were his best years. He would have been the best center in the L if not for being constantly overshadowed by Shaq.
Remember, those career stats are tainted. Zo was a constant double double threat from the day he stepped in the league up until his kidney problems.
Zo’s rookie year:
21 ppg, 10.3 rbs, 51% fg, 3.5 blks
Those stats were pretty much the same for 8 seasons. A couple of those seasons he had some injuries. They completely fell when he had to get a new kidney.
But he still played 8 more and won a ring as well.
Zo is HOF all the way. It’s a given.
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:09 pm
Ashlov says:
Zo was the baddest motherfucker to ever patrol the lane, period.
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:25 pm
jk says:
OK here is a question, name your top 5 legit centers of all-time. Bill Russell would probably be my number 1, but Mourning as to rank retty high.
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:26 pm
jk says:
i meant to say top 5 legit centers under 7 foot. fotgot to type that bit!!
January 22nd, 2009 at 10:55 pm
tl says:
zo will def be in the hof. him winning a championship in ‘06 cemented it.
January 22nd, 2009 at 11:02 pm
you a flirt, i'm a hater says:
Everybody knows that Zo can still play. The real reason he’s hanging it up is because he knows the Heat (the only team he’ll play for) aren’t gonna make any noise this year and he doesn’t want any part of that.
He’s a bitch for doing that just like his boy Riles.
January 23rd, 2009 at 12:53 am
Ian says:
jk
are u being a fan or being real
mourning wouldnt crack the top ten
and russell is the most overrated superstar in the history of the nba yeah i said it
if i take a group of
moses hakeem admiral ewing jabbar wilt and russell that only one who would be getting at least 25 pts in his face without givin them back is bill.
January 23rd, 2009 at 4:56 pm
hhhhhhh says:
he’s a useless piece of crap!!
gets traded to Toronto….oh look…now he can no longer play….oh wait…they buy him out….oh now he can play again…
BRUTAL!! welcome to the NBA…what a joke already…just like the All Star voting system…