Knicks Rival Announces He's Cancer Free

Well-known for his frequent matchups with the New York Knicks, former Miami Heat star Alonzo Mourning shared his cancer survival story.

May 1, 1996; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning (33) in action against the Chicago Bulls during the first round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs at the Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

Former New York Knicks rival Alonzo Mourning announced on Monday that he is cancer-free after a bout with prostate cancer earlier this year.

The 54-year-old Mourning, perhaps best-known for his epic battles with fellow Georgetown alum Patrick Ewing during the Knicks' recurring postseason showdowns against the Miami Heat, relayed his story of survival to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN. Mourning was diagnosed in late 2022 but has been free of the disease

"What scares me about this disease is that there are so many men walking around feeling great and have that cancer in them and they don't know it," Mourning said. "The only way to find out is to get their blood tested and get their PSA checked. There are 3.3 million men living in the U.S. with prostate cancer, and many don't even know it. I was one of those guys."

May 1, 1996; Miami, FL; USA; FILE PHOTO; Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning (33) in action against the Chicago Bulls during the first round of the 1996 NBA Playoffs at the Miami Arena. Mandatory Credit: RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports / RVR Photos-USA TODAY Sports

With a new lease on life, Mourning continues to rehabilitate and is looking to end stigmas behind health processes, especially considering that prostate cancer is said to affect one in eight men at some point in their lifetimes, according to the American Cancer Society.

"Life was good and amazing for me, but if I had ignored getting checked and let this go, the cancer would've spread through my body," Mourning, now stationed in the Heat's front office, told Wojnarowski. "Unfortunately, as men, we don't like to go to the doctor, but this is the only way to find out what's going on in your body. Prostate and even colon cancer are silent killers and many men won't get those diagnosis until it's too late."

"We live in a world where it's taboo among men to talk about health issues. If I didn't get routine checkups, I probably wouldn't be here to talk about this. I want men to be proactive with their health."

A seven-time All-Star, Mourning played 15 NBA seasons between Miami, Charlotte, and New Jersey. The 2014 Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame inductee previously endured kidney disease and underwent a transplant in 2003, three years before he took home an NBA title with the Heat. Mourning's Miami groups faced the Knicks in a playoff series on four consecutive occasions at the turn-of-the-century (1997-2000) though Ewing's squad took each of the latter three showdowns.

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