From the moment he stepped foot on an NBA floor, Alonzo Mourning was a star. Averaging over 20 PPG in his rookie season, Mourning was bound to be a star in the league, and he did just that. Through his first 8 seasons, the Miami Heat legend consistently remained one of the best big men in the NBA. But his path to glory took a sudden hit in 2000 when he was diagnosed with a rare illness. Decades after recovering from a serious kidney disease, Mourning shared an update with his fans, exuding gratefulness for everyone involved.

“Grateful to be celebrating another year of life! It’s been 20 years since I received a kidney, and it is indeed a blessing. I am FOREVER thankful to my donor, cousin, and lifelong inspiration Jason – and the medical team that made it all possible,” Zo wrote in the caption. However, the 7x All-Star also had some words of caution and advice for his fans. “To celebrate and cherish this gift, I get annual check ups. It is vitally important that you do too. Regular check-ups help ensure that we stay on top of our health and catch any potential issues early. Take care of yourself and prioritize your well-being.”

After winning gold at the Olympics, Mourning found out about his condition. FSGS is a rare disease that affects 10% of African Americans. For the people affected by it, a mutation in the gene causes the kidneys to fail in 35% of cases. Mourning was one of the unfortunate few who suffered from protein-spilling disease.

After finding out about this, Mourning stepped away from Miami Heat in the 2000–01 season to follow treatment, but he had to be sidelined the entire 2002–03 season later on for his kidney transplant.

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Naturally, his production on the court dropped significantly after his initial diagnosis, and he was never the same player after that. Yet, it didn’t deter his legacy.

Alonzo Mourning did enough to make the Hall of Fame

When Alonzo Mourning was diagnosed with his kidney disease, he was one of the best players in the NBA. He was a perennial All-Star and one of the best defenders in the NBA, with back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards in 1999 and 2000. Fans also loved Mourning dearly.

So even when he only played one game before the all-star break in the 2000–01 season, the fans voted him in, and he made the All-Star game. But even his disease didn’t stop him from contributing to the best of his abilities for the Miami Heat.

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Mourning played behind Shaquille O’Neal for the Heat and won his only championship in 2006. After retiring in 2008, Mourning was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2014. Mourning’s plethora of accolades from the early half of his career helped him in securing this accolade.

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What do you think of Alonzo Mourning’s heartwarming message to his fans? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!