Alonzo Mourning

Carrying on the tradition of great centers to come out of Georgetown University, Alonzo Mourning was a rugged defender, a gifted scorer, and a real presence in the locker room. The muscle-bound center started his career with the Charlotte Hornets as the second overall pick in the 1992 NBA Draft. He was a First Team All-Rookie performer that year shattering the single-season record for most blocked shots in Hornets history. Mourning eventually landed in South Beach where he was twice named the NBA Defensive Player of the Year with the Miami Heat and enjoyed his greatest his success as a professional. Zo was playing his best basketball when very suddenly he was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a disease of the kidneys. Mourning stepped away from the game for a brief period, but soon returned to the Miami Heat where he won an NBA championship in 2006. The two-time NBA All-Defensive First Team performer led the NBA in blocked shots for two consecutive seasons and recorded 2,356 blocked shots for his career.