Alzono Mourning Jersey Retired

Alonzo Mourning's Jersey was retired last night in Miami. He is not doubt Miami Heat's most successful player. He is their leading rebounder, shoot blocker, and he was also their leading scorer until Wade took it, he also became the first Miami Heat player to have his Jersey retire. He was apart of Team USA who won the Olympic Gold Medal in Sydney Australia 2000. During the Olympics he flew home for the birth of his child and still make it back in time to play and win the medal. It was that same year he was diagnosed with kidney disease. He was told he would never play basketball again. But Zo's a fighter, his work in the community was tremendous and it was like God sees a man with vigor and fight. For even though he can't play basketball he found a way to be a hero. He gave back to those who have looked up too him when he was playing. He gave back to want and need. In 2003 his second cousin Jason Cooper donated a kidney to him and before you know it he was back to the game and brought back life to the Heat. Along with Dwade and the help of veterans Shaquille O'neal, Gary Payton, Antoine Walker and Udonis Haslem he finally won an NBA Championship in 2006. No doubt Alonzo Mourning is one of the greats and have contributed a lot to the game of basketball. In 2007, Alonzo Mourning along with Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Mia Hamm, Jeff Gordon, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, and Cal Ripken Jr. founded Athletes for Hope, a charitable organization, which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community. He is 2 times Defensive Player of the Year. He was drafted in 1992 by the Charlotte Hornets (now Charlotte Bobcats) and was traded to Miami 1996. In his comeback after the kidney transplant in 2003 he played 1 1/2 seasons with the New Jersey Nets before reuniting with Miami until his retirement in 2008. He will not only be known for his effort and dedication on the hardwood but also for his charitable efforts in the community. He is 2 times Defensive Player of the Year.

Dwight Howard came into the league out of high school and became the 3rd high school player to be drafted number 1 pick. He like Lebron James came with high expectation and like James he did not disappoint. He was apart of the USA's redemption team to win the Olympic Gold Medal in Beijing. Like other big guys he dominated the paint and last night became the youngest player to reach 5000 rebounds at age 23. Passing Wilt Chamberlain who was 25 years of age. How cool is that.

Another big guy who had his Jersey retired was Vlade Divac of the Sacramento Kings. Drafted in 1989 by the Los Angeles Lakers. After 7 years with the Lakers he was traded to Charlotte Hornets (now Charlotte Bobcats) where he stayed 2 years and was then moved to Sacramento. After 6 wonderful years in Sacramento he was then again reunited with the Lakers for 1 more year in the NBA. He was born in Serbia and was among the first groups of European Basketball player to transfer to the NBA in the 1980's. He is one of the only three players in NBA history to record 13, 000 points, 9, 000 rebounds, 3,000 assists and 1,500 blocks (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Hakeem Olajuwon). Like Alonzo Mourning he is a humanitarian at heart. In October 2008 he was appointed as a government adviser in Serbia for humanitarian issues and in February 2009 he was elected President of the Serbia Olympic Committee.