![Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Chris Bosh at the NBA Finals in 2012]({"default":{"load":"default","w":"80","h":"110","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBxiy.img?h=1102&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=585&y=257"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"86","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBxiy.img?h=861&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=585&y=257"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"86","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBxiy.img?h=861&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=585&y=257"}})
Chris Bosh
 Bosh with the Miami Heat in 2011
|
|
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | March 24, 1984 Dallas, Texas |
| Nationality | American |
| Listed height | 6Â ft 11Â in (2.11Â m) |
| Listed weight | 235Â lb (107Â kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school | Lincoln (Dallas, Texas) |
| College | Georgia Tech (2002–2003) |
| NBA draft | 2003 / Round: 1 / Pick: 4th overall |
| Selected by the Toronto Raptors | |
| Playing career | 2003–2017 |
| Position | Center / Power forward |
| Number | 4, 1 |
| Career history | |
| 2003–2010 | Toronto Raptors |
| 2010–2017 | Miami Heat |
| Career highlights and awards | |
|
|
| Career statistics | |
| Points | 17,189 (19.2 ppg) |
| Rebounds | 7,592 (8.5 rpg) |
| Assists | 1,795 (2.0 apg) |
Stats  |
|
| Stats |
|
|
Medals
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Christopher Wesson Bosh (born March 24, 1984) is an American former professional basketball player. A Texas Mr. Basketball in high school, Bosh played one season of college basketball for Georgia Tech before declaring for the 2003 NBA draft. He was selected fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors.
While at Toronto, Bosh became a five-time NBA All-Star, was named to the All-NBA Second Team once, played for the U.S. national team (with whom he won a gold medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics), and supplanted former fan favorite Vince Carter as the face and leader of the Raptors franchise. In the 2006–07 season, Bosh led the Raptors to their first playoff appearance in five years and their first-ever division title. He left Toronto in 2010 as the franchise’s all-time leader in points, rebounds, blocks, and minutes played.
In 2010, after seven seasons with the Raptors, Bosh entered into a sign-and-trade deal whereby he was traded to the Miami Heat. In Miami, he joined fellow stars Dwyane Wade and LeBron James; the trio became known as the Big Three. Bosh spent the second half of his career with Miami, appearing in the NBA Finals each year from 2011 to 2014 and winning NBA titles in 2012 and 2013. He made the NBA All-Star team every year during his time in Miami. His career was cut short by a blood clotting condition that the NBA ruled to be a career-ending illness. Bosh played his final NBA game on February 9, 2016. Notwithstanding the NBA’s ruling, Bosh fought to resume his playing career for three years before announcing in February 2019 that he intended to retire. On March 26, the Heat retired his no. 1 jersey. On May 15, 2021, Bosh was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Seeking to promote sports and education amongst youths in Dallas and Toronto, Bosh set up the Chris Bosh Foundation and regularly speaks to youths about the benefits of reading.
Honors and achievements
- NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month: January 2007
- 9× NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week: January 3, 2005; January 30, 2006; March 26, 2007; January 7, 2008; October 28, 2008; February 1, 2010; April 5, 2010; December 23, 2013; October 28, 2014
- NBA Atlantic Division Champion: 2007
- 4× NBA Southeast Division Champion: 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
- 2× NBA Champion: 2012, 2013
- 11× NBA All-Star: 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
- All-NBA Second Team: 2007
- NBA All-Rookie Team: 2004
- 2× NBA Rookie All-Star Game: 2004, 2005
- 3× NBA Shooting Stars champion 2013, 2014, 2015
- Bronze medal winner with Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
- Gold medal winner with Team USA at the 2008 Summer Olympics
- Third-youngest player in NBA history to record 1,000 rebounds
- Fourth-youngest player in NBA history to record 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game
- Toronto’s first player to achieve 10,000 points
- Toronto’s all-time leader in rebounds
- Toronto’s all-time leader in defensive rebounds
- Toronto’s all-time leader in offensive rebounds
- Toronto’s all-time leader in rebounds per game
- Toronto’s all-time leader in rebounds per game in a season
- Toronto’s all-time leader in blocks
- Toronto’s all-time leader in free throws made
- Toronto’s all-time leader in free throws made in a season
- Toronto’s all-time leader in free throws attempted
- Toronto’s all-time leader in free throws attempted in a season
- Toronto’s all-time leader in double-doubles
- Toronto’s all-time leader in double-doubles in a season
- NBA Sportsmanship Award (divisional winner): 2007–08
- Elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
![Chris Bosh looking at the camera]({"default":{"load":"default","w":"80","h":"100","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBBNz.img?h=998&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=599&y=541"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"78","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBBNz.img?h=780&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=599&y=541"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"78","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBBNz.img?h=780&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=599&y=541"}})
Bosh says he knew early on that basketball was his path. After playing a game in elementary school, he recalls his peers and the adults in his life telling him he was an above-average player. He realized how happy the compliments made him — excelling at basketball mattered to Bosh.
Now an 11-time NBA All-Star, Bosh has learned that greatness doesn’t come easy. It’s been about, as he puts it, “punching in the clock every day.”
![Doug Benc/Getty Chris Bosh in 2010]({"default":{"load":"default","w":"80","h":"113","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBLxv.img?h=1126&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=566&y=319"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"88","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBLxv.img?h=879&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=566&y=319"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"88","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBLxv.img?h=879&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f&x=566&y=319"}})
In addition to cherishing time with his family — wife Adrienne Williams and his five children — Bosh discovered his affinity for writing. Bosh tells PEOPLE he had put pen to paper before, frequently journaling to process his feelings. That transitioned into writing down reflections on his past experiences, with no greater plan. But yet, “It eventually got to the point where, you know, we felt that we had something.”
“We’ve worked extremely hard on writing and putting this book together, we’ve literally put our blood, sweat and tears into it,” Bosh reveals. “After not being able to play basketball just suddenly and immediately having my career kind of come to an end, I found myself doing a lot of reflecting and I just wanted to make something that was sort of a gift to everyone, not only those who have helped me in my path but those who have upcoming challenges that they’re going to face to the people that are trying to be great.”
![a close up of a book: Random House Letters to a Young Athlete]({"default":{"load":"default","w":"80","h":"121","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBnto.img?h=1207&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size3column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"94","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBnto.img?h=943&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"},"size2column":{"load":"default","w":"62","h":"94","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/AAKBnto.img?h=943&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f"}})
And he hopes it helps his fans realize that despite an unexpected end, he has no regrets about how his “act two” began.
“Looking back on it, it was a legendary hell of a ride, I couldn’t ask for much more,” Bosh tells PEOPLE.
Letters to a Young Athlete is available now.
