“It’s Taboo Among Men”: Heat Legend Alonzo Mourning Breaks Silence on Battling Cancer, Shares Biggest Learning

In 2020 Basketball legend Kareem Abdul-Jabbar spoke about how he had been battling prostate cancer since being diagnosed 11 years ago. Now another legend Alonzo Mourning has shared his story of battling cancer via ESPN. The Miami Heat legend got support from the basketball community, which was happy when Mourning shared that he was cancer-free. He was previously also diagnosed with another disease that put an end to his 16-year journey.

Mourning shared the news in an interview with Adrian Wojnarowski, hoping other men would get 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,” he said after getting the procedure to remove the prostate in mid-March. Tests since then have concluded that the cancer did not spread beyond the prostate capsule.

The VP of Player Development at Heat also shared why he thinks men’s health issues are a taboo topic. The official Instagram page of Heat celebrated their legend with the following caption. “While opening up about his Stage 3 prostate cancer diagnosis @iamzo33 is urging men to get routine checkups to prevent “silent killers” before it’s too late.“

The post had the quote Alonzo Mourning shared on ESPN. “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.“

He also got support from Earvin Magic Johnson, “Congratulations to my man and Hall of Famer Alonzo Mourning on a successful prostate surgery to officially become cancer-free!🦾” Magic wrote on X. This is not the first time Mourning has spoken about his health issues publically.

Alonzo Mourning Regrets Life-Altering Decisions

In his interview with former basketball veterans Matt Barnes and Stephen Jackson, Mourning revealed one of his habits during the NBA which triggered his kidney disease. Matt Barnes questioned the Heat icon, “You had kidney issues and would you say some of that was due to the medicine you were taking to be on the court?”. Without hesitation, Mourning replied on ALL THE SMOKE, “By far”.

He added, “First of all it’s my fault cause I chose to put it in my body. Painkillers were introduced to me by team trainers, and I used them to play. I wanted to go out there, play and compete.  I had my fair share of injuries and I had five knee surgeries.” In 2000, coming off the Olympics, Mourning found out that he was diagnosed with focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS) which put a halt to his career. He eventually received a kidney transplant from his cousin. He once again shared a message to the youngsters through his experience.

Alonzo Mourning shared in the end that it was important to educate people on alternative ways and not get used to painkillers.  The 2006 champion shared a few methods to improve health without taking painkillers. It included practicing yoga, eating plant-based food, working out in five teams a week, and stopping dairy products.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato had to say about the marketing genius, watch this video.