"If you would have let him play another two minutes, he'd have died" - Byron Scott recalls Alonzo Mourning's near death-experience in his last game with Nets

Alonzo Mourning was one of the fiercest competitors the NBA has ever had in its long and decorated history. A 6’10” big man who dominated the shaded lane, especially on the defensive end, he was the type of player who would give his life up to get his team the victory.

In fact, his former coach on the New Jersey Nets, Byron Scott, revealed that he was so intense, whether in practice or in actual games, that they had to force him into retirement to keep him from doing just that.

A certified workaholic

The summer of 2000 was life-changing for Mourning, as he not only won an Olympic gold medal, but he was also diagnosed with a kidney disease called Focal Segmental Glomerulosclerosis. Despite this, he remained committed to playing in the NBA and, in July 2003, signed a deal to play for the Nets.

Scott said he saw firsthand how dedicated Mourning was to sharpening his game. Despite winning numerous individual accolades, such as the Defensive Player of the Year trophy and All-Star berths, he practiced with the intensity and commitment of a player trying to make the final cut, not an established superstar.

“Zo was a workaholic, man. We had to really keep an eye on his, I think it was his white cell count or something, right?” Scott recalled. “The trainer comes out to me, and Zo’s on the floor an hour before practice, just going at it, full sweat. And Tim (Walsh, the team’s head trainer) says, ‘Coach, he can’t practice today. His count is real low. If he practices today, man, he could die.’ I mean, it was that serious.”

Telling any other player to cease practicing would not have been a problem. However, telling Mourning that was another story. Yet, Scott knew he had to, and he summoned the courage to speak to the center and apprise them of the situation.

It’s safe to say that Alonzo did not like what he heard.

“He walked up on me. And he’s like (mimics Zo flexing and cursing). Of course, I’m looking up because he’s looking down. And he’s just staring. And then he just walked off the court. I was like, ‘Oh s—t,'” Byron stated. “I said, ‘Man, if this dude had grabbed me or swung or something, what was I going to do?’ Because, you know, I ain’t scared of nobody, but that dude ran up on me and walked out.”

A very short season

The next day, Mourning suited up and played 16 minutes and 44 seconds in an 81-80 loss to the Toronto Raptors. He had 15 points, two rebounds and a block. However, because of his kidney condition, he was absolutely spent after the game.

“We took him out of the game because he was so exhausted. The next day, we had to retire him,” Byron shared. “And the doctor told me if I had let him play another two minutes or so, he would’ve died right there on that court.”

A few months later, Mourning received a kidney transplant and eventually returned to the place where he flourished most, Miami. Showing his trademark warrior spirit, he helped the Heat win the 2006 NBA title by swatting away five shots in the Heat’s Game 6 win over the Dallas Mavericks in the finals — an impressive feat considering he was a mere moments away from dying just a few years prior.

This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Oct 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Latest News section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

“If you would have let him play another two minutes, he’d have died” – Byron Scott recalls Alonzo Mourning’s near death-experience in his last game with Nets

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