He was the #1 recruit of the 1988 class, over Christian Laettner, Shawn Kemp, Billy Owens, Kenny Williams, Stanley Roberts, Rick Fox, and Malik Sealy, among others.

After Mutombo entered the NBA draft in 1991, Mourning re-took his place as starting center, and responded with a spectacular senior season in 1991–92.

More impressively, he finished with 453 blocked shots in his college career, ranking first all-time in NCAA history at that time.

Mourning was selected second overall in the 1992 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets, behind Shaquille O'Neal and before Christian Laettner.

Mourning shattered Charlotte's blocked-shots records, becoming the Hornets' all-time career leader in the 49th game of the season.

The greatest moment of Mourning's rookie season came on May 5, 1993, in Game 4 of a first-round playoff series against the Boston Celtics.

The Hornets lost in four games to the Chicago Bulls in the first round of the playoffs, despite Mourning averaging 22 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 3.3 blocks during the series.

On November 3, 1995, after Mourning rejected Charlotte's contract extension offer worth an average of $11.2 million for seven years and knowing they would not be able to re-sign him, the Hornets traded him, along with reserves Pete Myers and LeRon Ellis to the Miami Heat in exchange for Glen Rice, Matt Geiger, Khalid Reeves and a first-round pick in the 1996 NBA draft.

[10] The brawl also involved Knicks head coach Jeff Van Gundy, who was seen dangling on Mourning's leg in an attempt to break up the fight.

Despite finishing with the best record in the Eastern Conference, the Heat once again fell short to the Knicks in the first round, with Allan Houston securing the series victory with a last-second jumper in Game 5.

[12][13] Mourning again led the NBA in blocks in the 1999–2000 season, this time with a 3.7 average, and won Defensive Player of the Year.

[14] Shortly after playing for the gold medal-winning U.S. national team in the 2000 Summer Olympics, Mourning was diagnosed with a serious kidney disease.

He did not play a significant role with the Nets, however, and openly complained to the media that he wanted out of New Jersey, especially after the team traded away Kenyon Martin.

Mourning's tenacious defense, steady offense, and all around hustle helped the Heat gain and maintain the first seed in Eastern Conference during the 2004–05 season.

Mourning finished the regular season ranking third in blocked shots at 2.66 per game, despite only playing 20 minutes per contest.

Miami swept the Nets in the first round of the playoffs, with Mourning recording 21 points and nine rebounds in just 16 minutes in Game 2.

In the second round against the Washington Wizards, Mourning stepped in for the injured O'Neal and scored 14 points with 13 rebounds and blocked four shots in Game 3 as Miami completed another four-game sweep.

After winning the championship, Mourning announced that he would return to the Heat in the 2006–07 season to defend their title, despite receiving offers of more money from other teams, including the San Antonio Spurs.

[36] After starting the season on a solid note averaging 6 points, 3.8 rebounds and 1.75 blocks in just over 16 minutes played per 24 games,[37] Mourning tore his patellar tendon in his right knee[38] on December 19, 2007, during the first quarter of the 117–111 overtime loss to the Atlanta Hawks.

During the extended halftime ceremony, Mourning was introduced by Florida Governor Charlie Crist; former Georgetown University basketball coach John Thompson; Basketball Hall of Famer Patrick Ewing; Heat players Dwyane Wade and Udonis Haslem; and Heat head coach Pat Riley.

In the following April, he was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding high school, collegiate, and professional career as well as his commitment to volunteer service in the communities in which he has lived and worked throughout his life.

In addition to Mourning, the game featured Shane Battier, LeBron James, Magic Johnson, Maya Moore, Joakim Noah, Chris Paul and Derrick Rose and Obama's friends from high school.

[55] Mourning told ESPN on June 4, 2024, that he is cancer-free after his March prostatectomy following a February medical diagnosis of high-grade stage 3 cancer.

In 2007, Mourning along with Andre Agassi, Muhammad Ali, Lance Armstrong, Warrick Dunn, Mia Hamm, Jeff Gordon, Tony Hawk, Andrea Jaeger, Jackie Joyner-Kersee, Mario Lemieux, and Cal Ripken Jr. founded Athletes for Hope, a charitable organization, which helps professional athletes get involved in charitable causes and inspires millions of non-athletes to volunteer and support the community.

Mourning's father was present and informed Cooper that Mourning was retiring that day from the NBA because of a life-threatening kidney disease, focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, the same problem that Sean Elliott had in 1999. Cooper asked if there was anything he could do, and began to contemplate donating one of his kidneys to his estranged cousin, whom he had not seen in 25 years and whom he only knew through basketball.