NBA legend reflects on game's evolution and his ongoing commitment to giving back to community

The National Basketball Association has changed a batch since Alonzo Mourning retired successful 2009.

His nonrecreational vocation began successful 1992 portion Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls were moving the show, and helium hung up his shoes conscionable earlier players who played his presumption started to sprout three-pointers astatine the aforesaid complaint Stephen Curry did aboriginal successful his playing days.

Take Victor Wembanyama, for example. At astir seven-and-a-half feet tall, "Wemby" would person stayed astatine the artifact if helium played during Mourning's timeline. But successful today's game, helium has the quality to play similar a constituent guard.

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Alonzo Mourning reacts to making the tying handbasket with nether 30 seconds near during 4th fourth enactment successful their crippled against the Philadelphia 76ers. (Rhona Wise/AFP via Getty Images)

"He’s a talented kid, man. The entity is the bounds for his potential, he’s had immoderate eye-opening games already. Some overwhelming statistical games already," Mourning told Fox News Digital successful a caller interview. 

"Now it’s conscionable astir doing it consistently and perchance 1 time getting successful that level oregon that speech of being a satellite champion. That's yet what it's each astir close there. Can he, and does helium have, and we each deliberation helium does conscionable by looking astatine what helium offers to the game, that helium has capabilities of taking that franchise [the San Antonio Spurs] backmost to the mountaintop again. That’s what it’s each astir with Wemby. We’ve already seen what his accomplishment acceptable tin be, present it’s astir winning championships."

The benignant of play has changed immensely since Mourning's past game, and galore of Mourning's procreation judge it has been a detriment. But the Hall of Famer disagrees.

"The gyration of hoops has been bully for the game. The crippled has grown, we’re scoring much points… It’s entertaining, and it’s been a large merchantability to networks. Players are making much wealth than ever before. When you look astatine it from a concern perspective, it’s good," Mourning said.

"Just watching the Bulls backmost successful the 90s and the Michael Jordan documentary, it reminded maine of immoderate of the low-scoring games backmost successful the day. The people was 89-78, a batch of truly bully defence being played, precise carnal games, wasn’t casual to score. That portion of hoops is gone. The game’s being called different, much up-pace game, much threes being shot. Analytically, teams are leaning much towards getting up much FGAs, particularly from the outside. Once a squad gets hot, particularly shooting 40, 50 threes a game, Jesus Christ, you’re bound to score."

San Antonio Spurs halfway Victor Wembanyama, beforehand left, shoots against Brooklyn Nets guardant Noah Clowney (21) during the 2nd fractional of an NBA hoops game, Sunday, Oct. 26, 2025, successful San Antonio. (AP Photo/Darren Abate)

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One happening that Mourning has vowed to support from his playing days, though, is his committedness to giving backmost to the community. Mourning co-founded his ain household instauration successful 1997, and six years aboriginal founded the Overtown Youth Center successful Miami, a assemblage halfway dedicated to giving underprivileged kids entree to support, mentorship, world help, after-school programs and enrichment opportunities.

This weekend, Mourning volition beryllium awarded the Mia Hamm Service Award astatine Athletes for Hope's "Play for Good" gala successful Washington, D.C. The grant honors an elite jock who embodies the erstwhile shot star's committedness to utilizing his oregon her planetary level to assistance others successful request successful the U.S. and beyond.

"Giving backmost was thing that was a portion of my DNA simply due to the fact that I'm present due to the fact that of truthful galore different people's contributions. Coaches, teachers, household members and what person you to benignant of assistance maine get to wherever I am. So I'm grateful for each those people," Mourning said. "That has inspired maine to person an interaction connected the community, the champion I could bash to make affordable housing, my programs for in-school, after-school summertime programs and for inner-city kids, expanding graduation rates, helping children and families successful impoverished areas, code their idiosyncratic needs, it’s a byproduct of what I came from. I'm grateful, genuinely grateful and thankful for the opportunity."

Miami Heat halfway Alonzo Mourning (33) battles for presumption with Vince Carter (15) and Antonio Davis of the Toronto Raptors during archetypal fractional enactment successful March 2001 astatine the Miami Arena successful Miami. (Rhona Wise/AFP via Getty Images)

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A Miami Heat legend, Mourning is presently the franchise's vice president of subordinate programs and development, ensuring that the adjacent procreation of Heat players follows successful his footsteps successful giving back.

"We present the young guys, the Miami Heat does a large occupation of exposing our young endowment to opportunities successful the community. So we're precise progressive arsenic an enactment successful the community. We see the players, they spot however important it is, and from there, bully things happen," Mourning said. "These guys get excited astir giving back, you know, and the remainder is history."

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