IN MOURNING: Unfortunate news from the world of basketball: Nets center Alonzo Mourning will retire from the NBA, in order to fight his ongoing battle with kidney disease. Mourning had already missed two years, including last year, prior to signing a four-year contract with the Nets prior to this season. Jason Collins will likely replace Mourning as New Jersey's starting center.
And compounding the bad news for 7-foot centers who dominated basketball in the early-mid '90s, Bill Cartwright has been fired as coach of the Chicago Bulls.