Retired NBA star Alonzo Mourning played 15 seasons of professional basketball, is a gold medal Olympian, and an NBA champ. But he’s not done. Now, he’s embracing his next role as a health advocate.
Mourning, a seven-time NBA All-Star who played center and power forward, was at the top of his game when he was diagnosed with a rare kidney disease.
“I had just won the gold medal with Team USA in the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney,” he said. “Coming back home, I began to notice troubling symptoms, extreme tiredness, and alarming swelling throughout my body. I basically chalked it up to all the grueling training I did that summer and the travel schedule.”
During a routine physical to prepare for the upcoming season with the Miami Heat, the team’s doctor noticed signs of kidney disease and conducted follow-up tests. He diagnosed Mourning with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, a rare kidney condition that’s a form of APOL1-Mediated Kidney Disease, an inherited kidney condition caused by variants in the APOL1 gene.
Good days and bad days
“I thought my life was over,” said Mourning, who also played with the Nets and the Hornets during his career. “I was just so ignorant to all of this, because I didn’t know people could live with kidney disease and people can get transplants.”
In 2003, Mourning received a kidney transplant from his cousin, Jason Cooper. He overcame a lot of pain, swelling, and stiffness to prepare his body for a return to professional sports, including eight months of training. He resumed his basketball career, including winning the 2006 NBA championship with the Miami Heat. He’s been vice president of Player Programs for the Miami Heat for more than 15 years.
He receives routine checkups every six months and stays as healthy as he can.
“I have my good days and bad days, like everybody else,” Mourning said. “I don’t have to have dialysis and have this kidney in me still functioning.”
Still, Mourning has had health challenges. He was recently diagnosed with atrial fibrillation and had an ablation on his heart. In 2024, he was diagnosed with Stage 3 prostate cancer. He had his prostate removed and he’s now cancer-free.
Genetic testing
The Hall of Famer says it’s important to know your family history and to get genetic testing. For example, Mourning’s kidney condition is inherited, and people of African descent are at higher risk for the APOL1 variant.
Mourning contributed his DNA as part of the study that showed that variants in the APOL1 gene are associated with a higher rate of severe kidney disease in African Americans.
He created a website, PowerForwardTogether.com, with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to empower people with kidney disease to get informed, especially about the APOL1 gene.
Be proactive
Mourning encourages everyone to be proactive about their health by finding a doctor they trust and getting regular checkups. He suggests people get second or third opinions, too, as needed.
He also urges healthcare providers to take the time to get to know their patients. When patients and providers get comfortable, they can have honest conversations about health.
Mourning is grateful for his health and is honored to share his advice and support with others experiencing kidney disease and other health challenges.
“I’m a strong believer that in every adversity, there’s a seed of equivalent benefit,” he said. “I went through what I went through, to be a spokesperson, and that’s the blessing in all of this — to be a voice for the voiceless.”
