ZO is back

#1
Mourning Will Attend Camp




Mourning

East Rutherford, NJ, Sept. 1 -- Seven-time NBA All-Star Alonzo Mourning will participate in the Nets’ 2004-05 training camp in an attempt to revive his NBA career, Nets’ CEO Rod Thorn announced today.

“We look forward to Alonzo joining the Nets in training camp," said Thorn. "Hopefully he will be able to resume his career and play at the high level he has in the past.”

“I am feeling great and am excited about attending training camp and possibly resuming my career, said Mourning.”

Mourning, who signed with the Nets prior to the 2003-04 season, played in 12 games for New Jersey before he was forced to stop playing basketball on November 25, 2003 due to focal glomerulosclerosis. On December 19, 2003, Mourning underwent kidney transplant surgery in which he was given a kidney donated by his cousin. In 12 games for New Jersey, Mourning averaged 8.0 ppg and 2.3 rpg in 17.9 mpg.

A 12-year NBA veteran, Mourning posts career averages of 20.0 ppg, 9.7 rpg and 2.98 bpg in 634 games with Charlotte, Miami and New Jersey. Drafted by Charlotte in the First Round (2nd overall pick) of the 1992 NBA Draft and selected to the All-Rookie First Team, Mourning was a seven-time NBA All-Star, a two-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year (1998-1999, 1999-2000), a member of the All-NBA First Team in 1998-99 and Second Team in 1999-2000, a two-time member of the All-Defensive First Team (1998-99, 1999-2000) and was the winner of the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award in 2001-02. Mourning was also a member of the gold medal winning 2000 Team USA Olympic Team and was named the 2000 USA Basketball Male Athlete of the Year. Alonzo will be made available to the media once training camp begins.
 
#3
Well he actually had a nice start for the Nets last season, it was just too bad he couldn't hold on to it. Hope to see a great comaback for him this season.
 
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#4
I really hope he can get his game back on track. Zo was one of the most fiery competitors I've seen, and I always loved to watch him play. Here's hoping he becomes a top player in the league again.
 
#6
I wonder if the departure of KMart has anything at all to do with Zo's comeback? If I recall, Zo wasn't too pleased about KMart crackin' jokes about his illness and what not, and probably didn't feel too badly about walking away with the Nets money at that point. But now, with KMart gone, Zo doesn't have to put up with that punk, so may be that little extra bit of motivation may have helped.
 
#8
I really like Zo back when he was with the Hornets.........hope he could really get back his form and havea HUGE comeback........
 
#9
NoBonus said:
I just hope this does not ruin his new kidneys... his doctors did not seem real happy about his returning to the game.
If he does, maybe his celebrity status will let him leap-frog over all the other folks in the organ donation wait-list line again...
 
#10
4cwebb said:
I wonder if the departure of KMart has anything at all to do with Zo's comeback? If I recall, Zo wasn't too pleased about KMart crackin' jokes about his illness and what not, and probably didn't feel too badly about walking away with the Nets money at that point. But now, with KMart gone, Zo doesn't have to put up with that punk, so may be that little extra bit of motivation may have helped.
That's right. I forgot why I disliked Martin, that was low class...
 
#11
Yeah, I think that the K-Mart departure might have something to do something with Mourning's comeback. Lets just hope that he can do something good for the Nets and also keep his health.
 
#12
NoBonus said:
I just hope this does not ruin his new kidneys... his doctors did not seem real happy about his returning to the game.
If I were him, I wouldn't risk my cushy life no matter how much I loved bball.
 
#14
Lamar_Odom said:
He tried this before, it didn't work. I doubt it's going to work this time.
It's like the Grant Hill saga. They can't accept the fact that it's over. Hell, not even healthy guys can accept when their time comes.
 
#17
http://www.nypost.com/gossip/28481.htm

speaking of comebacks..

JAYSON Williams is looking to make an NBA comeback. The ex-Nets star was forced to retire in 1997 with a bad back, and he's 36 years old. But he was at Basketball City the other night with L.A. Clippers star Elton Brand and two other players, working hard and doing windsprints between scrimmages. Screenwriter Penny Marshall stopped by afterwatching a match at the U.S. Open to see them play. "He's trying to get back in shape for a comeback," said our source. Williams and Brand were back the next day to continue the workouts.
 
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#20
Evilmav2 said:
If he does, maybe his celebrity status will let him leap-frog over all the other folks in the organ donation wait-list line again...
For the record, he didn't leap-frog the waiting list; a second cousin donated the organ to him. He did receive a lot of offers from strangers willing to donate but that does not entail leap-frogging. His celebrity status does however afford him more publicity than your average person. Patrick Ewing was said to be a possible donor if no other match was found.

I personally don’t think he should be attempting to comeback so soon. It’s only been a couple of months since his operation. I guess he feels that since he’s already on the pay roll, he should try to see if he can play.
 
#21
yea i admire that he wants to play, bit he should give it more time. in this situation, a life threatening one, its truly better to be safe the sorry.
 
#22
Did the Doctors clear him to play? They must have. Maybe he lives to play the game. and life without the game is but a hollow shell. Well, that sounds good anyway:)