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Alonzo Mourning dominated the block while keeping his teammates involved.
When Alonzo Mourning left the Georgetown Hoyas for a life of rejecting shots in the NBA, he took with him an intensity that few Hoyas have ever been able to duplicate. His famous fist pump that served as an exclamation point to the 453 blocks that he registered for the Hoyas can still be remembered, but his aggression could be seen in forms outside the blocked shot column. Mourning ranks 3rd in Hoya history in games fouled out (20), 2nd in total touls (403) and 1st in free throws and free throw attempts.
When he took his game to the NBA, Mourning sustained a career based on his work ethic. Despite being 6'9", Mourning banged against 7-footers with little regard for his height disparity. He got visibly stronger every year, hitting the weight room with his trademark intensity, and was an impact on the court for every minute of his career until his patellar tendor tore apart in late 2007. Mourning attempted a comeback, but at age 37, he could no longer get by on effort alone.
This month, Mourning returned to Georgetown's campus with a relaxed demeanor and plenty of moments of recollection. "Zo", of Georgetown's class of 1992 returned to the DC area in order to film a segment for an ESPN show called "Homecoming."
“I have a lot of roots here,” Mourning told ESPN host Rick Reilly during the July 23 taping on campus. “Four of the best years of my life were spent here.”
During a week of visiting, filming, and recollecting, Mourning and his wife, Tracy, took Reilly on a tour of Washington DC, visiting historical sites, as well as sites of personal significance. The two raced up and down the famed steps on GU's campus that were used in the film “The Exorcist”. They visited McDonough Arena, where Mourning played before the Hoyas' move across town to the Verizon Center.
Mourning's impact was not lost on the new crop of Hoya players, who listened intently as he spoke to the team before practice. And whatever he said must have stuck, because the basketball team was among the 600 students in attendance during Mourning's homecoming event in Gaston Hall. Along with the team and student body, former Head Coach John Thompson Jr., and former teammates Jaren Jackson, Ron Thompson and Mark Tillmon made their way back to Georgetown's campus for the event. And alongside his teammates sat one of Mourning's greatest heroes, former Hoya and #1 pick Patrick Ewing.
"He had a stubbornness about him,” Thompson Jr. recalled. “Stubbornness isn’t bad as long as you know who’s in charge.” Mourning added, “Fear helped a lot, too.”
Mourning, the #2 NBA draft pick in 1992 views Thompson as one of the most influential people in his life. But in addition to the coaching and mentoring that Thompson provided, Mourning was careful to direct the praise he was recieving to his teammates.
“It wasn’t just about me. This homecoming is about all of the people here (in the audience). This is about everyone who helped me in the process.”
ESPN will air the episode on Aug. 6 at 7 p.m. (ET).
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