Alonzo Mourning Has Rare Kidney Disorder

B O C A   R A T O N, Fla., Oct. 10 -- Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning has arare kidney disorder that could possibly result in a kidneytransplant, his foster mother told The Palm Beach Post.

“He did say to me that it was a rare case,” Fannie Threet, who raised Mourning since he was 12, told the newspaper in a telephone conversation from her home in Chesapeake, Va.

“I asked him was it to the extent that he would need akidney,” Threet said. “He said he didn’t know. They are testingnow to see what the difference would be.”

Heat officials declined comment on the report.

The Perfect Summer

Mourning last appeared in public a week ago at Miami Heat mediaday, when he discussed an offseason that included the birth of hissecond child and his role in the U.S. Olympic team’s gold-medaleffort.

“I couldn’t have written out my summer any better,” he said.

That was before doctors discovered an apparent kidney disorderin a routine physical examination. The Heat broke training campMonday without Mourning, and they don’t know when he’ll return.

Threet said she has spoken twice with Mourning since he wasfirst diagnosed with a rare kidney disorder, The Palm Beach Postreported in today’s editions.

She said Mourning told her that doctors are “hopeful they couldfind a kidney if it was necessary,” but he didn’t go into furtherdetails.

Mourning wasn’t specific about the nature of the disorder,Threet said.

“I didn’t get into any particular name,” she said. “He justsaid, ‘Oh, it is bad, Mom. It is bad.’”

Attempts to reach Mourning on Monday night were unsuccessful,according to the report.

Mourning told Seattle center Patrick Ewing that he’ll play thisseason, but the Heat have declined to discuss their All-Starcenter’s condition or prognosis. Mourning has been in Miamiundergoing further tests so doctors can determine the best courseof treatment.