Legendary Syracuse Orange head coach Jim Boeheim was close to recruiting one of the best college basketball players of all time: Alonzo Mourning.
Boeheim appeared as a special guest on an episode of the Dan Patrick Show on Wednesday. He recalled his connection with Mourning, who at the time was the top recruit in the class of 1988.
“Like Alonzo Mourning he wanted to visit here so we brought him in. He wanted to visit because he was friends with Billy Owens, and he wanted to come up. So I said Alonzo now let’s just get this out of the way. The first day I said let’s get this out of the way so we don’t have to talk for 2 or 3 days. You’re going to go to Georgetown right? He laughed and he said yeah, yeah I’m probably going to go,” Boeheim said at the 7:02 mark.
“I really didn’t hate, it was such an intense rivalry and the fans hated, they really hated. John and I at first really bumped heads. It was such a big game and so much on it, but after a few years, it took a few years, we kind of mellowed a little and we became friends and the rivalry wasn’t what it was but there was nothing like the Big East then.”
How Jim Boeheim, Alonzo Mourning succeeded at NCAA level
Alonzo Mourning went to high school in Virginia, Indian River High School, so going to Georgetown made the most sense. Other players in his class were Christian Laettner, Shawn Kemp and Billy Owens as Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim mentioned. Mourning was the USA Today, Gatorade, and Naismith Player of the Year as well.
Owens himself was considered to be the second-best player in the 1988 high school class behind Mourning. He won the Big East Player of the Year Award in 1991, as Mourning won the same award a year later in 1992.
Mourning went down as one of the best players in Georgetown history. He reached the exclusive milestone of 2,001 points and 1,032 rebounds while making 453 blocks throughout his collegiate career. He has plenty of acclaim for his defensive talent, having won Big East Defensive Player of the Year three times from 1988 to 1992.
As for Boeheim, he left his position as the Syracuse Orange men’s basketball head coach after 47 years. He won ten Big East Conference regular season championships and five Big East tournament championships. He also led them to 34 NCAA tournament appearances, including five Final Four appearances and three appearances in the national title game.
The third appearance in the championship was not only the charm but the crowning moment of Boeheim’s career. With freshman star Carmelo Anthony leading the way, Boeheim and the Orange beat the Kansas Jayhawks to win the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
Even though he was unsuccessful in recruiting Alonzo Mourning, Boeheim still walked away with a Hall of Fame coaching career and a lot of memories to be proud of.
The post Syracuse’s Jim Boeheim recalls hilarious Alonzo Mourning recruiting story appeared first on ClutchPoints.
