1. Alonzo Mourning
And then there was one.
Most Heat fans would agree Mourning is the best center in franchise history, but the decision was slightly tougher than I expected. Even though O’Neal averaged more points and rebounds over his Heat tenure than Mourning, it was Zo’s longevity in Miami that truly makes him the GOAT.
From 1995-to-2002, Mourning was a five-time All-Star, two-time defensive player of the year (1999-2000), and two time blocks leader (1999-2000). After fully recovering from kidney ailment and transplant that almost ended Mourning’s career, he returned to Miami in 2005 and eventually helped the Heat win their first NBA title in 2006 as a role player.
Unfortunately for Mourning, he faced the same problem all NBA superstars felt in the nineties, Michael Jordan. Mourning is easily the second-best long-tenure player in Heat history, only second to Dwyane Wade, and it was a fitting end for fans to see Zo come back and finally get that long-awaited ring late in his career.
All stats are courtesy of Basketball-Reference.com unless otherwise noted.