Hoops Habit
Fansided

Miami Heat: 25 Best Players To Play For The Heat

By Phil Watson

May 9, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of the Miami Heat logo is seen center court before game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs between the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports
May 9, 2016; Miami, FL, USA; A general view of the Miami Heat logo is seen center court before game four of the second round of the NBA Playoffs between the Toronto Raptors and the Miami Heat at American Airlines Arena. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
24 of 26
Next
DALLAS – JUNE 20: Alonzo Mourning #33 of the Miami Heat blocks a shot by Jason Terry #31 of the Dallas Mavericks in the fourth quarter of game six of the 2006 NBA Finals on June 20, 2006 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
DALLAS – JUNE 20: Alonzo Mourning #33 of the Miami Heat blocks a shot by Jason Terry #31 of the Dallas Mavericks in the fourth quarter of game six of the 2006 NBA Finals on June 20, 2006 at American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images) /

Alonzo Mourning. 3. player. 110. <strong>How acquired:</strong> Trade, Charlotte Hornets, Nov. 3, 1995; Free agent, March 1, 2005.. C. 1995-03, 2005-08

A contentious contract situation led the Charlotte Hornets to deal All-Star Alonzo Mourning along with Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis to the Miami Heat in November 1995 in exchange for Glen Rice, Matt Geiger, Khalid Reeves and a first-round pick in 1996.

Mourning proved to be cheap at twice the price, earning Defensive Player of the Year honors in 1998-99 and 1999-2000.

MIA_03_MOURNING
MIA_03_MOURNING /

He was a five-time All-Star with the Heat, as well as a two-time All-NBA selection and a two-time All-Defensive pick, leading the NBA in blocks in 1998-99 and 1999-2000.

But his career was derailed by a serious kidney condition that led him to miss most of the 2000-01 season and all of the 2002-03 campaign.

In July 2003, Mourning signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Nets.

He returned to Miami as a free agent in March 2005 and was part of the Heat’s championship run in 2006 as a reserve.

He averaged 4.3 points, 3.2 rebounds and 1.5 blocks in 11 minutes per game, shooting 9-for-13/—/8-for-12 in a six-game victory over the Dallas Mavericks in the 2006 NBA Finals.

A torn patellar tendon in December 2007 effectively ended his career and he formally announced his retirement in January 2009.

In parts of 11 seasons in Miami, Mourning averaged 16.0 points, 8.1 rebounds and 2.7 blocks in 29.8 minutes per game, shooting .537/.220/.657.

Mourning was the second overall pick out of Georgetown by the Hornets in the 1992 NBA Draft and was an All-Rookie selection in 1992-93 as well as a two-time All-Star in Charlotte.

In December 2004, he was traded to the Toronto Raptors, who waived him in February 2005 after he refused to report to the team.

Inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2014, Mourning is 11th in NBA history with 2,356 blocked shots, 41st with a field-goal percentage of .527 and sixth with an average of 2.8 blocks per game.

Next: Flash The Face Of The Franchise

Home/Miami Heat