The two-time NBA champion, Chris Bosh turned 40 this year on March 24th. To commemorate the Hall of Famer’s birthday, BallisLife decided to bring back a video of his former teammate, LeBron James to honor his legacy and his contributions to the Miami Heat franchise.
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LeBron James went on to credit Chris Bosh for the two NBA championships he won with the Miami Heat. Though the Heat boasted a daunting ‘Big Three,’ with Dwyane Wade along with James and Bosh, many of the players from the championship-winning Heat roster went on to tip their hats to the 6’11 forward.
“Congratulations to my man, C-Bosh. CB, I mean, listen, I don’t win my championships in Miami without him, without you. You know what he meant to that team. All those years that he was down there in Miami and when I was there for my four years, even a couple of years after that when I was gone. Just a true definition of what a professional is all about. And it was never about him, it was always about the team…CB forever.”
After LeBron James was on board to join the Miami Heat squad with Dwyane Wade, Chris Bosh could be touted as the missing piece of the puzzle. Bosh was a savant in the low post and a knockdown threat from the top of the key during his time in Toronto.
Bosh averaged 24.0 points in his last year with the Raptors, as per Statmuse. But the things he did to put the team first do not show up in his stats. CB was a gifted scorer with his basketball IQ and his high-arching jumpshot.
However, to accommodate LBJ and DWade on the floor, the All-Star forward went on to take a smaller role on the team from the very first year with the Heat. His point averages and offense saw a big dip but his efforts on the defensive end of the floor saw an exponential rise.
Bosh also went on to develop a steady three-point shot after coming over to Miami, just so he could space the floor for LBJ and The Flash. So, when James mentioned what a true professional Bosh was, he may have been hinting at CB being one of those stars who was able to put his team before his ego.
What made Chris Bosh so special?
After 13 seasons in the league, Chris Bosh had to retire early due to health concerns. Bosh had to deal with blood clots in his body that prevented him from being the player that he was on an NBA court. It truly was a tragedy as to how Chris Bosh’s career ended. However, having his former teammates’ respect and acknowledgment of his contributions to the team may have been somewhat of a silver lining for Bosh.
Miami Heat legend Udonis Haslem recently spoke about Chris Bosh and his value to the team on a podcast. Making an appearance with former Heat sharpshooter Mike Miller, the two went on to give Bosh his flowers. Haslem emphasized the fact that Chris Bosh was the most important player on their roster. He went on to differentiate between the best and the most important player and placed Bosh in the latter.
Udonis Haslem mentioned how LeBron James and Dwyane Wade could fill in each other’s role if one of the two was out. However, the Heat had no replacement for Chris Bosh on their roster and that’s what made him so valuable. Former Miami Heat point guard Norris Cole had the same analogy on Chris Bosh as UD did. And he may have seconded LBJ when he said that the Heat would not have won those two championships without him on the team.
Chris Bosh may have retired from the league but his legacy lives on in the rafters of two NBA franchises. Our thoughts and wishes go out to one of the great power forwards and one-third of arguably the most frightening Big Three in recent NBA history. Happy Birthday Chris Bosh.
