This story, by Ira Winderman, first appeared in the Oct. 16, 2000, i sue of The Sporting News under the headline Anxious days, just before Miami icon Alonzo Mourning, 30 at the time, was diagnosed with kidney disease and would mi s all but 13 games of the 2000-01 season.MIAMI It was early during the Heat's annual training camp scrimmage, midway through the second quarter, a time when Pat Riley normally would be fixated on the po sibilities for the coming season.Instead, Riley left his seat alongside owner Micky Arison to confer with team physician Harlan Selesnick in a corner of the gym at Florida Atlantic University.From that point, Riley appeared to lose focus on the mix of veterans and hopefuls. The player who mattered the most was 60 miles to the south, alone, anxious, anticipating the latest round of test results that could dictate more than the direction of a career.TSN ARCHIVES: For a team favored to make it to the NBA Finals for the first time, for a franchise with renewed hope after an offseason overhaul the training camp in Boca Raton, Fla., opened for the Heat amid concerns far greater than that of the Larry O'Brien Trophy."It's not a normal situation, Riley would say a night after that scrimmage. "Let's just take it from here and let Zo feel Drew Stafford Women Jersey the comfort of good words and the fact that all of our prayers are with him."Alonzo Mourning, the NBA Defensive Player of the Year the past two seasons, the third-place finisher in last season's vote for Most Valuable Player, the soul of Riley's franchise, had yet to make it to camp.With concern increasing in the locker room over a very visible absence, the Heat finally released a statement on the fourth day of training camp, three days after Mourning Drew Stafford Jersey had been expected to arrive, shortly after a private, vague update from Riley to his players."During a routine preseason physical examination," the statement read. preliminary tests seem to have indicated a kidney disorder and will require additional testing.For days, those closest to Mourning had known something was wrong. They also knew the proud big man wanted to handle the i sue on his own terms, with his own timing.TSN ARCHIVES: The one person I hope you have a chance to talk to shortly is Zo, Riley says, because he is as optimistic and upbeat as you know Alonzo Mourning is always when there's some difficulties. And so, now he knows that there has to be a plan out there in front of him, and that's the way it's going to be."Initially, it was thought Mourning had a thyroid problem. Then came word of kidney concerns, triggering memories of Spurs forward Sean Elliott.Last season, Elliott became the first known pro athlete to resume a career after a kidney transplant. His kidneys had been failing for six years, since he was diagnosed with a kidney infection in 1993 while with the Pistons. He received a donor organ from his brother on August 16, 1999, and returned late last season in a limited Mirco Mueller Women Jersey role.Mourning has no history of illne s. For him, recent days have been a period of sweeping highs and shattering lows.During the Olympics, Mourning made a 20-hour trip back from Australia to witne s the birth of his second child and first daughter, Myka Sydney Mourning, who was born September 22. Mourning, 30, then returned to Sydney and helped the United States win the gold medal. Mouming also has a 4-year-old son, Alonzo III, who goes by Trey.Mourning appeared bloated and fatigued at the Heat's media day, although most attributed that to his arrival from Australia a day earlier. He wore his Olympic medal around his neck as he answered questions.TSN ARCHIVES: A few days later, his teammates wore looks of concern."All of us are going to say prayers for him and make sure he's all right, first and foremost, point guard and Olympic teammate Tim Hardaway says.As teammates and the coaching staff dealt with emotions surrounding the illne s, the Heat front office quietly began to sort out related personnel decisions.With Mourning's health a primary concern, and with team executives placing a far greater priority on the center and his family, the Heat had ample time to file paperwork with the league for what is defined as a "disabled player exception." A team is given 45 days from when the exception is granted to add a replacement player.Based on the collective-bargaining agreement and the size of Mourning's contract, which is due to pay him $16.9 million this season, the Heat would be allowed to add a salary at 108 percent of the average league salary.That would give the Heat about $4 million in additional cap space for use on a single player.As long as an NBA-appointed physician confirms a player suffers from a "disabling injury or illne s" that could keep him out for the balance of the season, a team is eligible to receive the exception. Even if a team spends the exception, the ailing player, upon recovery, still is eligible to return at any time.Without Mourning, the Heat would have to redefine itself. In many ways, a Heat lineup without Mourning would resemble the lineup Charlotte had last season, when its core was guard Eddie Jones and forwards Anthony Mason and Derrick Coleman. Without Mourning, the Heat would have a core of Jones and Mason, who were obtained in an offseason trade with Charlotte, and power forward Brian Grant.With such a core, Charlotte finished with a 49-33 record last season Stefan Noesen Men Jersey , earned home-court advantage in the first round of the playoffs as a No. 4 seed but was eliminated, 3-1, in the opening round by Philadelphia."We're all concerned," Grant says, because he's our All-Star, he's the head of our team."The other centers on the Heat roster are 7-foot Duane Causwell, a longtime starter in Sacramento who has languished on the Heat bench the past three seasons; 6-11 Todd Fuller, who has failed to have an impact in stints with Golden State, Utah Jimmy Hayes Kids Jersey and Charlotte; and roster long shots Mario Bennett and Ike Nwankwo.The offseason blueprint had the Heat starting Mourning at center, Grant and Mason at forward and Jones and Tim Hardaway at guard.Without Mourning, a po sible lineup would be Grant at center, Mason at power forward, Dan Majerle at small forward and Jones and Hardaway in the backcourt.Although Riley and the team endured with Mourning out of the lineup early in his Heat tenure, that was when the franchise had Isaac Austin as an alternative. The Heat was 27-11 without Mourning in games Austin was with the team; it has gone 7-14 in Mourning's absence since Austin was dealt in the middle of the '97-98 season.Players around the league expre sed heartfelt concern about Mourning as soon as the news of his illne s broke. Knicks guard Allan Houston, a playoff rival and Olympic teammate, said he was hopeful of a turn in the prognosis. Patrick Ewing, Mourning's closest friend in the NBA, expre sed disappointment he could not get in contact with the father of his godson.In recent seasons, Mourning has gone from a scowling,