Heat to Play Season Without Mourning
( 2002-09-14 13:52 ) ()

Alonzo Mourning delivered the news about two weeks ago, telling Miami Heat coach Pat Riley about his deteriorating kidney disease during an emotional conversation about his family and future.

Mourning did most of the talking. Riley just listened.

"He was down and low," Riley said Friday. "It was a very philosophical conversation about his health. It was not good."

It got even worse when test results confirmed what Mourning's body was already telling him: the 32-year-old center probably won't play this season and might not play again.

"I feel pretty good about the fact that's he's made this decision to prioritize what's important to him: (his wife) Tracy, his kids, his health, his life," Riley said. "Whatever happens in the future from a basketball standpoint, I don't know. That's going to be his decision."

Mourning was diagnosed in October 2000 with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a career-threatening kidney disease. He played in just the final 13 games that season but played in 75 games last season and made the All-Star team for the seventh time.

Mourning has acknowledged that his prognosis is uncertain, knowing that dialysis or a kidney transplant might be needed. Sean Elliott of the San Antonio Spurs contracted a less serious form of focal glomerulosclerosis and required a transplant in 1999.

Still, the latest setback was unexpected. Just last month, Dr. Victor Richards said Mourning's test results were encouraging.

But now the questions aren't about when Mourning will return but whether he will play again and if he should even risk another comeback.

"I feel for Zo and I just want him to get healthy," Riley said. "I see a concern on his face when I talk to him and I think anybody with his condition would have concern. ... I don't know right now where Alonzo's mind is at to (retirement). I do know that he is very concerned about his health and he wants to get healthy. That's where it should be."

Dr. Gerald Appel, who has treated Mourning since his diagnosis, said Friday that he could not discuss specifics about Mourning's health but said he advised Mourning to not play this season.

Riley agreed.

"It's in the best interest of Zo's health that he get himself healthy," he said.

Last season the disease was in remission, meaning his kidneys stopped deteriorating and were able to remove waste from the blood. Medication improved his blood pressure, hemoglobin and cholesterol, all affected by his ailment. He averaged 15.7 points, 8.4 rebounds and 32.7 minutes, missing just seven games.

Even with Mourning healthy, the Heat went 36-46, and Riley missed the playoffs for the first time in his 20-year coaching career.

Mourning is to make $20.6 million this season in the final year of a seven-year, $105-million contract, leaving Riley with few options other than to play out the season without what he has and begin rebuilding next summer.

After the Heat released a statement Thursday night saying Mourning would be sidelined indefinitely, Riley went home, turned on the television and found a rerun of a 1999 playoff game between the Heat and the New York Knicks — one of Mourning's final games before developing the disease.

"I sat there and watched the whole game," Riley said. "I watched Alonzo get 14 points and seven rebounds in the first quarter and I'm saying, 'That's what we had here. That's who he was and that's why we were a contending team.'"

Maybe not anymore.

"We've had a tough four years, but we have to move on," Riley said. "We've been humbled. We're going to be young, and today for the first time in my seven years , I can say we are rebuilding."