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PRE-NBA
Young Zo
College
Years
Charlotte
NBA Rookie
All-Star Reserve
Superstar
Miami
Heat
First
Season
61 Win Season
Suspension
Master of Rejection
Defensive Expert
Medical Defense
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 Just when it seemed the Heat would go all the way, they are going
nowhere. After technically four seasons of losing to New York, Pat Riley
realized it would take more than Clarence Weatherspoon and Marty Conlon to
reach the NBA Finals. Miami finally got some major improvements, adding Brian
Grant, Eddie Jones and Anthony Mason to the lineup of current stars of Tim
Hardaway and Alonzo Mourning. With no centers left in the East and with
Miami’s new all star lineup, Miami was the obvious favorite by far to reach
the NBA Finals. After Zo led Team USA to an undefeated record and won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics, he came home to visit his new
daughter and Heat fans thought this would be our year. But we were all wrong.
But then it was revealed that Alonzo Mourning had a rare kidney disorder that
if not treated properly would require a transplant. The condition, focal
glomerulosclerosis, is the same as Sean Elliot had. Optimistic fans thought
Zo would play this season, at least during the playoffs, but those thoughts
have been shut down as Zo’s doctors have repeatedly stated he needs to sit
out the season.
Although Zo has never left the bench this season, NBA fans all over America
showed their love and admiration for Alonzo Mourning by voting him in as the
starting center for the NBA all-star game. Although he was unable to play, it
showed a lot that Zo was voted in above players such as Theo Ratliff, Latrell
Sprewell and Elton Brand, who were having career-best seasons. Zo did go to
the game, however, and cheered on his friend Dikembe Mutombo and teammate Anthony Mason as they and the other Eastern All-Stars made the comeback from a 20 point deficit to defeat the West by one point.
Zo is still on medication trying to naturally recover from his illness. He
wants to play, but knows it is better to wait then risk not being able to
play in the NBA again or decrease his health…He does have a wife and two
children to look out for.
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