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“My first words to him were, ‘Welcome and let’s get to work,’” Mourning recalled regarding his first conversation with Ware after the Heat took him with the 15th overall pick in last year’s draft. “And I told him, I said, ‘You have the potential to be one of the greatest players in Miami Heat franchise history. You have that potential. But you got to put in the work.’ And that’s how we started off the conversation. “He’s done just that. You think about how he started the season and how he ended it, he’s made incredible strides. So if we can continue to see that type of progress, then we’re on our way as a franchise.”
“We noticed the physicality of the game affected him a lot, it really did,” Mourning said, looking back at Ware’s rookie year. “I could name several games where he got moved a little bit too easily at that center position. He got moved around a couple times and he just has to get a little bit more comfortable with his body from that perspective. “But outside of that, his shot is there and that’s improving and we just need him to be an ultimate defensive force in that paint, especially utilizing his length and athleticism. He can be a phenomenal defensive force. But again, his body has to get stronger. Once his body gets stronger, he’ll get a little bit more confidence in some of the things that he’s capable of doing.”
The Housing Trust Group developed this $37.4 million housing community for seniors in partnership with AM Affordable Housing, a nonprofit founded by NBA Hall of Famer and Miami Heat legend Alonzo Mourning. "Being able to have a safe environment where they can age with dignity is extremely important," Mourning said.
Draymond Green ties Alonzo Mourning in playoff blocks
Jorge Sierra: Draymond Green tied Alonzo Mourning in playoff blocks for No. 21 in NBA history. Jimmy Butler passed Paul Pierce in playoff steals for No. 30 all-time.
“So I think Pat has done as good of a job as anybody can to be in that position for so long and go through so many generations. Yeah, we all know he’s old. But he’s still sharp as a tool, at the same time. He’s one of the sharpest men that you will sit down and talk to. So he’s very, very good at his job. But also, too, like all of us, he has ways that he wants to see things run and see things done and he’s going to do it that way. But also, too, he’s going to make some adjustments. I think they made a lot of adjustments when Jimmy came, which [LeBron James] didn’t experience and I didn’t experience. The same thing with Tim [Hardaway] and [Alonzo Mourning], we experienced something that they didn’t experience. “What I like to say is you have to stand on something. And the culture is what the Heat stands on. It doesn’t matter whether you feel like the word culture has been overused or not. But every organization doesn’t have it.
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Anthony Chiang: Micky Arison reacts to HOF honor in press release issued by the Heat: “I am deeply honored to be joining Heat greats Alonzo Mourning, Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh, Shaquille O’Neal, Ray Allen, Tim Hardaway, Gary Payton and of course my dear friend Pat Riley in the Basketball Hall of Fame. When my father Ted Arison brought the Heat to Miami almost 40 years ago, he did not do so for accolades. He did it because he thought it was best for Miami. Madeleine, Nick, Kelly and I have been the proud stewards of that vision and are so proud of what the Heat mean both in our community and to fans around the world. For some, this is an individual honor. But for me, this speaks to what our entire Heat family – players, coaches, staff and fans – have built together. “I look forward to enshrinement weekend in September, as well as future enshrinement weekends where more members of our Heat family will enter the Basketball Hall of Fame.”
Alonzo Mourning on Charlotte: I wish we could have kept the band together, man. Unfortunately, no. Business got in the way. It did. Business got in the way. And, uh, you know—I’m going to say this publicly—I don’t think that we had the proper management to keep it together. Because I was willing to stay there. But God had another plan. I’m just going to say—put that out there real quick—I’m happy. Look, look, coming to Miami is the best thing that ever happened to me, bro. Truly. For me and my family—for my life in general—it’s the best thing that ever happened to me.
Alonzo Mourning: Listen—the owner of the team, George Shinn—you know, he paid (Larry Johnson). And I was next up, you know? My agent said, “Hey, I can get you this with five different teams. You just got to choose which team you want to play for.” I said, “No, I want to stay in...”—I wanted to stay in Charlotte. And David Falk said—he said, “I don’t think Charlotte’s going to pay you this number.” And I said, “Well, you know, I’ll take less money to stay.” So we started having conversations with George Shinn. And he said—uh, and these were his exact words: “You’re not worth that.”
Alonzo Mourning on Shaquille O'Neal: I got in his ass. And then one day we were in a drill, and he tapped me on the shoulder. He’s like, “Man, slow down.” He said, “Because you go hard, I got to go hard.” I said—I said, “You see I got stitches on my head?” I said, “You’re making $20 million a year. You know I’m making the minimum. I got to be ready just in case your big ass goes down. I don’t want to hear that.” IMGhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wyHs74qw9JA
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Paul George passes Zach Randolph in scoring
Jorge Sierra: Paul George passed Zach Randolph to become the 72nd-best scorer in NBA history. Also: Jeff Green moved ahead of Alonzo Mourning for No. 182.
Butler did little to hide his unusual arrangement -- even posting photos from a Van Leeuwen ice cream shop in Boulder to his ever-buzzing Instagram account during the Finals. "We let Jimmy do more than we ever let LeBron or DWade or Zo do," one team source said.
Alonzo Mourning: "For the past two years, I watched him fight, just like he fought on the court for rebounds and block shots. Unfortunately, he succumbed to brain cancer. It was hard because he left us way too early. The thing about Dikembe, he defined what it means to be a better man in this world. He was all about giving. The man built a hospital in the Congo in his mother’s name, a school in his father’s name, and wanted to continue doing that around the globe. Dignitaries from all over looked up to him. Nobody ever had a bad word to say about Dikembe Mutombo. He brought joy and laughter wherever he went, with that big belly laugh like the Cookie Monster. The impression he left on the world is incredible, and it’s something that will never be forgotten."
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