Issue date: September 23, 2001

Andre Agassi and Alonzo Mourning share the stage as our picks for USA WEEKEND's 9th annual Most Caring Athlete Award. You're familiar with their athletic prowess. You may be even more impressed by their accomplishments off the court.

By Dennis McCafferty

ZO, meet Andre.

Agassi's and Mourning's perspectives have been profoundly shaped by personal circumstances.

Andre, meet Zo. The two stars walk into a room and instantly click. Zo, as Miami Heat center Alonzo Mourning is affectionately called, promptly whips out his wallet and shows off a photo of his son.

"His name is Alonzo, too," he says to tennis star Andre Agassi. "But it's Alonzo Mourning III. So we call him 'Trey.' "

Agassi is impressed. "I've got one on the way," he says, as if the entire planet didn't already know that he and fellow tennis star Steffi Graf are expecting their first child.

"Oh, yeah," Mourning says with a sly grin. "I heard about that. If you need any pointers, let me know."

"Great," Agassi says. "You can set me straight."

There is much the two men have in common. Both of their foundations generate millions in revenue for the good of children and families who need help. Both are very skilled at leveraging the capital of celebrity to bring in a host of A-list stars -- including Elton John, Jay Leno, Venus Williams and Chris Rock -- to lend their names and talents to the causes. Both of their perspectives have been profoundly shaped this year by personal circumstances, whether it's the threat of disease or the hope of new life.

By the time Mourning and Agassi have finished with their business together this day, they smile, joke and mug for the camera. They rib each other about their respective games -- "I'll take my chances with you shooting under me," the 6-foot-10 Mourning tells Agassi, who is nearly a foot shorter. They hug, exchange contact information and promise to hook up again, to help each other out. And they will. These are two guys who are true to their word. Here's a glimpse at what drives them.

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Andre Agassi
Las Vegas

After winning a recent match at a tournament in Washington, D.C., Agassi's mind was on another victory, one taking place in his hometown of Las Vegas. Pride is blooming in a neighborhood where hope once folded like so many losing poker hands. At the center of the revival is The Andre Agassi College Preparatory Academy, a $4.4 million charter school.

The school opened this academic year for grades 3 through 5, expanding through grade 12 as the first class advances through the program. (The academy is starting with those grades because they are considered the most pivotal in the development process.) The goal is to send every uniform-wearing student to college. Although as a charter school it is a public institution with open enrollment, its location in an at-risk neighborhood ensures that it will serve kids who need help the most.

"You wouldn't believe how much has changed there," Agassi says after his tennis match. "There's so much pride. They're getting rid of the graffiti. The respect for the community has grown so much. We've driven in the point that the way to reach a child is through education. But these kids aren't going there simply to stay in school. They're going there because a lot of people are expecting a lot out of them."

Growing up, Agassi never enjoyed that kind of opportunity. He was a tennis prodigy who left regular school after joining the pro tour at age 16 and finished high school via correspondence courses. He harbors no regrets, but he admits he would have liked to have had a traditional education. "I made tough choices, and some tough choices were made for me at an early age," he says. "I won't say I regret it because of all that I've enjoyed and have been able to do because of the path I took. But I would have liked to have the experience that these kids will have."

The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation itself has emerged as the gold standard when it comes to sports celebrity foundations, achieving a remarkable series of goals based on his vision, contacts and personal investment. Agassi underwrites all administrative expenses, so every contribution goes toward the programs or the endowment. According to a recent USA Today special report, Agassi's foundation is the largest revenue producer among those fronted by athletes; it has raised more than $14 million since 1995.

These efforts have benefited, among others, the Agassi Boys and Girls Club of Las Vegas; Operation School Bell, which provides clothing and personal hygiene care for needy kids; and Child Haven, a shelter for abused children.

Agassi's foundation gets by on more than a little help from his famous friends. His annual black-tie benefit in September brings in stars such as Celine Dion and Dennis Miller. And he more than delivers for contributors: After a California man bid $125,000 to win a one-hour tennis lesson with Agassi and Graf, Agassi decided that the donor didn't get his money's worth, so he and Graf stayed all day.

Agassi knows parenthood will further enrich his perspective. And that can only make his programs stronger. "It will make me appreciate all of this so much more," he says. "I see it in friends who have children, the way it changes the way they think about children. It's like looking at the world with a new lens."

To contact or contribute to The Andre Agassi Charitable Foundation, write to 3960 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 750, Las Vegas, Nev. 89109, call 702-227-5700 or log onto agassifoundation.org.

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Alonzo Mourning
Miami

It's been two years of extreme ups and downs for Mourning. Playing for the 2000 U.S. Olympic team last September, Mourning endeared himself to the world when he flew more than 9,300 miles from Australia to Miami so he could witness the birth of his daughter, Myka Sydney. He arrived a mere 20 minutes before the delivery and spent a precious day with her before returning to the Games to help the team win a gold medal.

The next month, he bravely confronted the diagnosis that he had focal glomerulosclerosis, a kidney disorder for which Mourning had to take 15 pills a day. He returned to the Heat lineup in March 2001, six months sooner than expected.

While dealing with that, he has been fulfilling a promise to his hometown of Chesapeake, Va., and a lady named Fannie Threat, now in her late 80s.

Mourning was just an adolescent when Threat, a foster mother, took him into her home. She looked after him until basketball stardom took him first to Georgetown University and then to the NBA in 1992, initially with the Charlotte Hornets and now the Heat. "Before I leave this Earth," Threat told Mourning several years ago, "I want you to come back and do something for your hometown."

By then, Mourning already was intensely involved with his foundation work in Miami. His "Zo's Summer Groove" in July encompasses a block party, concert, golf tournament, charity dinner and all-star game and has raised more than $1.4 million in five years. The money supports 100 Black Men of South Florida, a youth-mentoring effort; Children's Home Society, a foster-care resource group; and other outreach efforts. Mourning also has worked with local donors to launch a planned $3 million youth center in the struggling Overtown neighborhood.

When Threat made her request, Mourning clearly was neck-deep in outreach efforts. But Mourning knew his foster mom was right; he had to try to work the same magic where he grew up. Now he puts on a Summer Groove there in August, with a "fun day" in the park; a celebrity softball game; a free basketball clinic; and a golf tournament. The Hampton Roads Summer Groove, only in its second year, expects to raise $50,000 for local Boys and Girls clubs and Chesapeake Care, a free clinic for poor families.

Before the golf tournament in Chesapeake, Mourning finds time to visit sick kids in a hospital. These days, he has more to offer than toys and autographs. He can share his own story about being seriously ill.

"How are you doing, Zo?" the kids ask. "How are you feeling?" Mourning offers a smile and encouraging words. "I'm remaining positive," he tells them. "Even if there are good days and bad days, if your heart is strong and your mind is strong, your body will feel better."

To battle the disease, Mourning has teamed up with San Antonio Spurs star Sean Elliott, who also suffers from the kidney disorder, to launch Zo's Fund for Life. So far, it has raised more than $1 million for research and education.

For one man, it seems like a lot to take on. Especially when his "breaks" end up being working vacations with little downtime. It must be enough to make Threat proud, right?

"She's pleased," Mourning says, "but she isn't satisfied." And neither is Zo.

To contact or contribute to Alonzo Mourning Charities Inc., write to P.O. Box 330110, Coconut Grove, Fla. 33233, call 305-476-0095 or log onto zsg.com.

This year's Most Caring Coach Awards sponsored by USA WEEKEND and CBS' The Early Show.