“It’s terrible news, man. He’s part of this family.” -KENYON MARTIN
SEATTLE – Kenyon Martin said things to Alonzo Mourning he immediately wished he had not said. And he apologized. But now, the regret is intensified in the wake of the news that Mourning’s career is over and he likely will need a transplant or dialysis.
“Yeah, I apologized to him. In the heat of the moment you know you say things that you wish you hadn’t,” said Martin, who nearly came to blows with Mourning in a heated practice Thursday. “No matter if it’s basketball or at work, no matter what you’re doing you say things you wish you could take back. I apologized to him right afterward. But it still don’t take it back that I said it. But I apologized to him; he accepted my apologies.”
Martin, like the rest of the basketball world, was stunned by the news of Mourning’s deteriorating condition. Some members of the Nets’ family learned Sunday night, others – Martin including – heard yesterday. Martin talked to Mourning early yesterday.
“It’s terrible news, man. He’s part of this family. It’s terrible. It’s a terrible thing. His health and life are more important than basketball,” Martin said.
Martin and Mourning got embroiled in their now infamous tiff when the center saw players laughing while he was running drills. Mourning challenged Martin’s leadership and missing games because of an ankle sprain. Martin then made a remark about Mourning’s kidney disease and players had to restrain Mourning.