Everyone in Miami hoped that Chris Bosh would be cleared to begin the 2016–17 season with the rest of the team. The center last played in February of that calendar year before missing the remainder of the season due to a concerning health issue.
Bosh received the most devastating news for any player when he was told that his NBA run was all but over due to a career-ending condition. Looking back on the life-changing moment, the 11-time All-Star hints that it was perhaps the most challenging time of his life.
"It was very tough," the Hall of Famer told BasketNews.com. "It was the death of my career, to be honest. Any time you deal with loss, death, and stuff like that, you go through grief. I had to do that for a few years. I got over it. I believe it made me stronger."
Premature ending for Bosh
The health concerns started after the 2015 All-Star Game, when Chris, fresh off his 10th All-Star appearance, was diagnosed with a blood clot in one of his lungs. It wasn't going to be just a minor setback; it was serious enough to sideline him for the rest of the season.
Bosh returned the following season, but his battle with blood clots wasn't over. Just after the 2016 All-Star break, he was hit with another blood clot in his leg. The situation became increasingly serious, with doctors and the Miami Heat organization urging him to sit out the remainder of the season due to the severe risks associated with his condition. The following summer, Chris was waived by the franchise after playing for them for seven years.
This decision was tough for everyone involved, including Heat President Pat Riley, who later retired Bosh's No. 1 jersey. However, no one was willing to take the risk of playing the center after being officially ruled out due to his potentially career-ending condition.
CB4 tried to come back by taking trials in Europe and even claimed to have received some offers. But he wasn't healthy enough to play again and eventually called it quits in 2019.
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An eventful career
Bosh may have left prematurely, but he made an impact during his time in the NBA. After establishing himself as an All-Star with the Toronto Raptors during his initial seven years in the association, the Heat came knocking. The 6-foot-11 center was more than ready to take his talents to South Beach, joining forces with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade.
The Heat steamrolled through the Eastern Conference during his first season, dominating the Boston Celtics and Chicago Bulls and making it all the way to the NBA Finals. They eventually lost to the Dallas Mavericks, who claimed their first NBA title.
The Heat bounced back in a big way, winning back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013. The 2013 Finals against the San Antonio Spurs were particularly intense—one of the greatest in NBA history. After splitting the first two games, Miami got blown out in Game 3, falling behind 2-1 in the series. They bounced back the following contest but dropped to 3-2 after a Game 5 loss. With San Antonio needing just one win to seal the deal, the Finals went from riveting to all-time memorable.
In the final moments of Game 6, with Miami's title hopes hanging by a thread, James missed a crucial three-pointer. Bosh, however, grabbed the offensive rebound and dished it to wide-open Ray Allen, who drained the three to tie the game and served up a Heat win in overtime. Chris made a game-saving block on Danny Green's corner 3-point attempt, sealing Miami's victory and forcing a Game 7, which Miami won.
Reflecting on his career and performances, Bosh had no regrets despite not ending in the way he had hoped.
"I don't have any [regrets]," he added. "It all went good—a couple of championships. [I] got to meet some great people, have some great teammates, great stories, great locker rooms. I'm a lucky guy."
Bosh played three more seasons after that championship before health concerns forced him into early retirement. But looking back, it's clear that his time in the NBA was filled with unforgettable moments and several pieces of hardware to show for it.
Related: “I had a couple of offers” - Chris Bosh on why he overlooked offers from the Euro League
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