“Stepping Into Michael Jordan’s Shadows, That Was The Pressure They Were Putting On Me”: Chris Bosh Reveals How Pitch Meeting With Chicago Bulls In 2010 Quickly Went Sideways Leading Him To Choose LeBron James & Dwyane Wade In Miami
Chris Bosh was one of the most coveted free agents in 2010. Bosh went to the Heat, but there was a chance he could’ve landed with Michael Jordan’s former team.
The Chicago Bulls were an up-and-coming team in 2010. Their rookie, Derrick Rose, had just led the team to a playoff berth last year where he played his heart out against the #1 seed Boston Celtics. Joakim Noah was devloping into a quality defensive center, and the Bulls looked like they were a piece or two away from being true threats.
One of those pieces could’ve been the Toronto Raptors superstar, Chris Bosh. Yes, the Miami Heat big three could have never come into fruition had Bosh chosen the Bulls.
According to @NickFriedell, Chris Bosh gave the Chicago Bulls a verbal agreement during the 2010 free agency.
Friedell: “Bosh said ‘I’m coming to play for the Bulls.’ Straight up. He said, ‘I’m coming to play for the Bulls. This is where I’m gonna be.'”
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) June 29, 2020
Chris Bosh Felt Pressured To Fill Michael Jordan’s Shoes, Ultimately Chose To Sign With LeBron James & Dwyane Wade On The Miami Heat
Bosh was an all-star throughout his 13 year career in the NBA. Before signing with the Miami Heat, Bosh had spent 7 seasons with the Toronto Raptors. There he had averaged almost a double double with 20.2 points per game and 9.4 rebounds per game.
You can see why teams were eager to get their hands on the perennial all-star. The Chicago Bulls were no different, they wanted Bosh’s superstardom and experience to guide them to the playoffs. After witnessing how Derrick Rose had quickly transcended into a league MVP, Bosh would’ve been the perfect co-star to complement his play.
However, Bosh revealed that the Chicago Bulls had put pressure on Bosh to try and fill Michael Jordan’s void, stepping into his shadows.
What if Bosh/Wade joined the Bulls in 2010?
“When I went into the pitch to Chicago, it was an excellent pitch. That was the pressure they were putting on me [stepping into MJ’s shadows]”
—@chrisbosh#NBAPlayoffs #NBATwitter #TheJump #BullsNation
— The Jump on ESPN (@NBATheJump) June 9, 2021
However, it doesn’t seem like this threw Bosh off. He called the pitch excellent because it revealed just how much they wanted out of him. However, other factors may have led to Bosh eventually choosing the Miami Heat:
According to @WindhorstESPN, there were 3 factors to why LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh chose Miami over the Chicago Bulls:
1) Derrick Rose’s lack of participation in recruiting.
2) The Bulls cap situation.
3) LeBron’s “acrimonious relationship” with Joakim Noah.
— Daniel Greenberg (@ChiSportUpdates) June 29, 2020
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