No guarantees.(Alonzo Mourning and his ongoing battle with kidney disease)

Nothing is certain about the return of ALONZO MOURNING--not his health, not his future. But he has decided that playing now is the right move, despite the fears.

Put the on-court issues aside.

This is not about sport, not about baskets or balls. But this is about competition.

For Alonzo Mourning, these next few weeks, perhaps these next few months, will be about the greatest competition of his life. It is a competition against a kidney disease that is in remission but remains, for now, incurable. Mostly, it is a competition between the patience to complete the prescribed course of treatment and the need of a player to play.

So today, Alonzo Mourning, shot-blocking center, relentless hustler, scowl-wearing warrior is back in the NBA, back on the court for Pat Riley's Heat.

For how long, he does not know.

"This will be a game-to-game approach," he says. "The most difficult thing in all of this is that the doctors can't give me assurances about my future. Every time I step on the court, it's a huge concern."