Ex-Net will need kidney transplant

["Stephen Beauregard" <sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Mourning forced to retire
Ex-Net will need kidney transplant
By Peter May, Globe Staff, 11/25/2003

Last summer, Mike James was one of Alonzo Mourning's workout companions in
Miami. The two also were teammates on the Heat last season and left as free
agents -- James coming to Boston and Mourning going to New Jersey. James
started his 13th game last night, hours after the Nets announced that
Mourning's career was over and that he needed a kidney transplant.

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"He felt like a rookie again," James said when asked about Mourning's state of
mind over the summer. Mourning had missed all of last year fighting the kidney
disease. "He felt he had to prove himself all over again. He was fighting for
a lot of people, to never give up your dream no matter how hard it might
look."

Dikembe Mutombo, Mourning's college teammate at Georgetown and longtime buddy,
said he told Mourning last summer not to come back. "I strongly advised him
not to come back," Mutombo said before helping the Knicks to a 94-88 win over
the Celtics at the FleetCenter. Mutombo said Patrick Ewing and former
Georgetown coach John Thompson told Mourning the same thing. Instead, Mourning
signed a four-year, $23-plus million deal with the Nets -- all of it
guaranteed.

"He was very determined," Mutombo said. "Nothing was going to stop him. He had
his mind made up already."

Celtics captain Paul Pierce said, "It was a gamble. I just feel so bad for him
because he fought so hard to come back. I just hope he's going to be fine as a
person."

The Nets' announcement came four days after Mourning and teammate Kenyon
Martin nearly came to blows when Martin belittled Mourning's kidney condition.
Pierce last night called Martin's comments "cold-blooded," saying, "You
shouldn't attack anybody with an ailment like that."

Sales are final Bob Cousy was at the game and reported that the auction of his
personal memorabilia raised almost $500,000. The big-ticket items: $87,000 for
a lithograph of the top 50 players of all time and $52,000 for Cousy's MVP
trophy from the 1956-57 season. Cousy put the items up for auction to raise
the money for his daughters and grandchildren . . . New York's Allan Houston
missed his second straight game with a bad back and Keith Van Horn (sprained
right ankle) missed his fourth of the season . . . The Celtics blocked 13
shots, a season high. Their previous best was nine in the season opener
against Miami . . . Nice night for Charlie Ward: 1 of 12 from the field,
including 0 of 9 from international waters . . . Vin Baker entered the game
shooting 82 percent from the line. He boinged six free throws against the
Knicks, going 6 of 12 from the line. Prior to the game, he'd missed only 9 of
50 all season. He's still shooting 75.8 percent for the season . . . The
attendance (15,125) was low considering the Knicks usually attract a sellout.
Then again, with the teams a combined 9-16 going in, there wasn't the usual
crackle . . . Shandon Anderson has posted season highs in consecutive games.
He had 20 points against the Sixers Saturday and 28 last night. His career
high is 35, in case you were wondering . . . Jiri Welsch got his first NBA
start and had 2 points and a career-high 6 rebounds in 20 minutes. "I felt
good out there," he said. "I tried to focus on defense and rebounding. But I'm
struggling with my shooting. I have to find my rhythm." Welsch is shooting
28.6 percent from the field. Said Jim O'Brien, "I think he's a much better
shooter than his statistics might indicate." He'd better be . . . Raef
LaFrentz is eligible to come off the injured list for tomorrow's game in
Orlando, but don't look for him any time soon. Celtics basketball boss Danny
Ainge said last night he'd like to wait another week on LaFrentz and is eyeing
a return Monday, when the Celtics host the Grizzlies.

Thanks,

Steve
sb@xxxxxxxxxxxx