Knicks' Legend Patrick Ewing Told Alonzo Mourning He Did Not Want to Team Up

The NBA in the 1990s was rough and tugged. While the great Michael Jordan dominated that decade, others made a name for themselves.

It was the dawn of a new era after the Magic Johnson and Larry Bird era that saved the league. Outside of Jordan, big men still roamed the league with might, like greats Patrick Ewing and Alonzo Mourning.

The two panned out Hall of Fame careers for themselves, and while they never teamed up, there was a time when that was a possibility.

After three years as a Charlotte Hornet, Mourning thought it was time to find a new home for himself. His two choices were the New York Knicks and the Miami Heat.

However, Mourning's first choice was to join the Knicks to play with Ewing and establish a duo that could have been so dominant, similar to Hakeem Olajuwon and Ralph Sampson before them.

After a call with Ewing, that all changed, as Ewing advised Mourning not to sign with the Knicks.

Mourning appeared on The OG's podcast with Udonis Haslem and Mike Miller and elaborated on how that meeting with Ewing occurred.

According to Mourning, Ewing was really blunt with him, saying how it would be best for him to go to Miami instead of New York.

"During that process, I reached out to Patrick, and I asked him about playing under Pat Riley. I hear his practices are hard, man. And Pat was like, 'Boy, you went to Georgetown. As hard as our practices was, you ain't gonna be intimated by those practices. Go to Miami. Go!' I said, 'Patrick, I had a chance to go to New York and play with you.' He was like, 'Nah. I don't want you here. Go to Miami.' That put me over the top," Alonzo shared.

Mourning went on the say how going to Miami was the best thing that happened to him.

"That was the deciding factor, it really was. Because I had a conversation with John Thompson and Patrick Ewing, and they both told me to go to Miami," Mourning added.

Mourning not only played well but thrived in Miami under the Godfather, aka Pat Riley. In his first tenure as a Heat, Mourning averaged 19.1 points per game, 9.7 rebounds, 1.5 assists, and 2.9 blocks while shooting 53.2 percent from the field in 407 games and 34.9 minutes of action.

Mourning was named an All-Star in four of those seven seasons. He was also named to the All-NBA team twice and won back-to-back Defensive Player of the Year awards (1998-99 and 1999-2000).

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