Heat C Mourning tears knee
December 20, 2007
ATLANTA (TICKER) -- Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning may have played his last NBA game.

The veteran big man left with a patellar tendon tear in his right knee after falling awkwardly to the court with 4:22 left in the first quarter of Wednesday's contest against the Atlanta Hawks.
"The doctors have taken X-rays, and from the looks of it, it looks like my patellar (tendon) is torn," Mourning said. "We'll know more about the injury (Thursday), but it will definitely require surgery, and it will get done as soon as possible."
Surgery would mean at least a six-month recovery period for the aging star, who may not be willing to go through that at this point in his career.
"It's disappointing to think that my career may end this way, but there are just so many other things that are important in life," Mourning said. "I have my whole life to do other things."
The 37-year-old Mourning suffered the injury when his knee buckled while trying to defend a fastbreak layup by Hawks guard Mario West.
The injury was gruesome enough that Hawks forward Marvin Williams seemed to think that Mourning had hit the hardwood for the last time.
"He had a great career," Williams said. "He's an NBA legend, no question. It's unfortunate it had to end that way."
The 15-year veteran immediately pounded his fist to the court in frustration after the fall and was initially put on a stretcher before getting off under his own power and being helped to the locker room by his teammates.
Mourning, who had averaged 6.0 points and 3.8 rebounds entering the game, scored five points before the injury.
A seven-time All-Star, Mourning's prime years are well behind but, nonetheless, he was an important cog in Miami's NBA title in 2006 and one of the most popular - and hard-working - players on the squad.
"Everyone is worried about 'Zo'," teammate Ricky Davis said. "That would be a huge loss. It's tough to see a guy work so hard and go out like that."
However, the two-time Defensive Player of the Year defeated the odds just by stepping on the court for the last few years of his career.
Mourning was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease in 2003 and returned for the 2004-05 season after a transplant. But even Mourning may have had enough after another injury setback on Wednesday night.
"You all know that I've been through a lot worse than this," he said. "I've been truly blessed to play as long as I have. I thank everyone involved for this wonderful opportunity."
The second overall pick in the 1992 draft out of Georgetown, Mourning became the latest in a line of great Hoya pivot men in the NBA, joining Patrick Ewing and Dikembe Mutombo.
He had averaged 17.1 points and 8.5 rebounds in 831 career games entering Wednesday's play.
man- i wish all NBA players had the same amount of heart & passion for the game as zo
muh' fucka had a kidney disease that kills most ppl, and he toughed up through it to come back and play on the highest level
such a fierce competitor
plus all the charity work he's down in miami speaks volumes of the man's character
i really hope he gets into the HOF
zo- true basketball fans salute you
