Former Miami Heat center and current Heat executive Alonzo Mourning has announced that he recently underwent surgery following a prostate cancer diagnosis.

The Basketball Hall of Famer is now cancer-free and is advocating for men to undergo regular prostate cancer screenings.

Routine exam revealed Mourning’s prostate cancer

Mourning, a seven-time All-Star, NBA champion, and Olympic gold medalist, received his diagnosis earlier this year during a routine exam.

Additional testing confirmed that the cancer was confined to his prostate.

Mourning underwent surgery in mid-March and has since recovered.

In an interview with ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, Mourning stressed the importance of regular screenings, particularly for men over the age of 45 who are at higher risk.

“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.”

Mourning’s journey to this diagnosis began three years ago after a conversation at a social event prompted him to start regular visits to a urologist.

Given his family history of prostate cancer, he was mindful of the potential risks.

His urologist noticed a rise in Mourning’s PSA levels in late 2022, leading to further testing and eventually the cancer diagnosis.

Reflecting on the experience, Mourning shared the emotional moment when he received his diagnosis.

“I was in shock. I can’t tell you enough about how well my body felt. I was in top-notch shape – running sprints, strong. The doctor told me that he couldn’t believe I had had a kidney transplant,”Mourning recounted.

“My partner, Mariona, is waiting for me outside the PET scan, and we are nervous as hell. I’m sitting in the machine with my arms over my head and my mind racing – waiting for the technician to read the scan.”

Fortunately, the PET scan results were favorable, indicating that the cancer had not spread beyond the prostate capsule.

Mourning underwent a procedure in March, performed by Dr. Vipul Patel in Orlando, which successfully removed the cancer.

Mourning advocating for cancer awareness

The statistics surrounding prostate cancer are sobering.

According to the American Cancer Society, it is the most common cancer among men in the United States, excluding skin cancer.

Approximately one in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during their lifetime, and it is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the U.S.

“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 emphasized.

“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 diagnoses until it’s too late.”

Mourning’s advocacy for regular health checkups is a continuation of his resilience against serious health issues.

In 2000, his NBA career was interrupted by a diagnosis of kidney disease, which led to a successful transplant in 2003.

Mourning resumed his career and eventually helped the Heat secure the 2006 NBA championship.

Now serving as the Vice President of Player Programs for the Miami Heat, Mourning remains a significant figure in the basketball community.

His message to men everywhere is clear: proactive health screenings can save lives.