NBA great Chris Bosh is officially on his way to the Hall of Fame, cementing his place in the game as one of the best big men of his generation. He is a two-time champion, 11-time All-Star, and has a new book on the way.
In a meet and greet event hosted by the NBA for its affiliate partners, the two-time champion was candid and engaging as he talked about the lessons and values he learned during his playing days.
One of the people he appreciates for his illustrious career was his coach with the Miami Heat, Erik Spoelstra. He won his two titles down in South Beach and he credits his strong relationship with the coach who Filipinos can call their own.
"You know it’s such a tough job being a coach, especially for a championship team. You can be in a position where you feel that any decision you make is wrong, but you still have to have your goal, you still have to go after it,” Bosh said. "And that’s him being a Filipino-American, that’s after all the things he’s gone through being different growing up and then becoming a head coach. But still, he handled it with much grace.”
The inspiring rise of Spoelstra from being a video coordinator to being a head coach with 600 career wins is a testament to his hard work and dedication. Spoelstra became a household name for being at the helm when Miami’s Big 3 — LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Bosh — took the league by storm. Bosh shared that his former coach was an approachable man who had a strong appetite for success.
"He was always someone who kept his door open. You can talk to him. And he wanted to win, it was very important to him. He wanted to show his best on the court and give his best effort,” said Bosh who played with the Heat for six seasons. "He wanted to make sure he was communicating with his team. He wanted to do everything to prepare his mind and his body to be able to help the Miami Heat. I mean, he believes in the Miami Heat - that’s the most important thing for him.”
"I couldn’t see him being anything other than a coach. So knowing where his heart was, that was always important. I wanted to win too. We always were able to connect on that level,” he added.
Coach Spo’s desire to win was evident when the Heat went on a surprising run to the NBA Finals last season in the bubble. The Heat, despite their best efforts and winning two games, ultimately fell short to James and the LA Lakers.
This season, the Heat are back in the playoffs after surviving a slow start to their campaign. Spoelstra’s team will face the third seed Milwaukee Bucks and two-time MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo. Bosh, who knows a thing or two about playoff basketball having played 89 career games in the postseason as part of the Heat and Toronto Raptors, gave his two cents about the incoming Eastern Conference matchup.
"It’s gonna be a tough year. The Bucks are gonna be a tough opponent,” Bosh assessed. "I know they’re (Heat) confident because they played them last year and they beat them last year. But it’s gonna be a tough fought game. Any time it’s playoff time in Miami, it’s very serious. They're gonna compete to win and they’re gonna play hard every night. I’m sure it will be competitive.”
Soon to be formally inducted in the Hall of Fame, it’s also fitting that Bosh has a new book about to hit the shelves. Entitled “Letters to a Young Athlete,” he looks back on his career, the hard-earned lessons that shaped him, and the people who helped him in his journey.
Bosh imparted that having mentors and listening to them is an integral component of anyone wanting to reach his or her goal.
"I think we all want to be successful. I think there is something that everybody wants,” he said. "In my career, and when I say career, ever since I was a child up until now, there was always someone to help me. There was always a mentor who did things for me.”
Bosh’s accolades on the court speak for themselves but he shared that there were numerous people who helped him off the court in both big and small ways.
"I’m a direct benefit of someone helping me, an older person or even a peer helping me out regardless of what it was, even the small things,” he said. "They can seem small but those things go a long way so those are the things that I think of being in my position and that’s pretty much what the book is about. You can help someone or someone can help you with the smallest things, and you can do great things off of that."
Former NBA player Chris Bosh, who won two titles in Miami, shared that he had a great relationship with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.
