EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. ? Sean Elliott believes Alonzo Mourning made the right decision to play with a kidney disease.

The former San Antonio Spurs forward probably knows what Mourning is feeling as well as anybody.

Elliott also had to give up the game because of focal glomerulosclerosis, a degenerative disease usually associated with diabetes or hardening of arteries within the kidneys.

Elliott had a kidney transplant in 1999. He returned briefly in 2001, then retired.

Mourning ended his comeback Monday after learning that a full preseason and 12 NBA games caused his body chemistry to go so “haywire.”