Former Heat Star Chris Bosh Recalls Basketball Journey With New Book
MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Five years removed from his basketball glory, Chris Bosh is now a happy man. That was not always the case.
"At first, I'll be honest, I was kind of in a negative mind space. I felt like things were snatched away from me," said Bosh.
In 2016, Bosh was in his basketball prime when his career was cut short by life-threatening blood clots.
When asked how he got over, the former Heat star said, "Time! Time! This book definitely helped."
The book, just out now, is titled 'Letters to a Young Athlete.' Three years in the making, Bosh began writing it almost as a therapy to recall his own basketball journey.
"I got to the point I started to be more appreciative of the ride. As opposed to being upset you know and I just wanted to help people."
Writing the book and becoming absorbed in the duties of being a family man. Bosh says helped pull him out of his post-basketball funk.
"You have five kids as I recall. You have a whole basketball team right there at the house.
Yeah, we got the starting five. They need the coaching. That's what I got to do. People ask me do I want to coach and I say I'm coaching my kids."
The book has nuggets of wisdom that anyone can apply. CBS4 asked Chris to explain one in particular.
"How you do anything is how you do everything."
"That's a good one. You are the first one to bring that one up."
"If you're slacking on just the little things. You will slack on the big things or it will catch up with you."
Bosh was not slacking on the biggest play in Miami Heat history, which propelled the Heat to a back-to-back championship.
Bosh was always the third wheel in the big three. In three months, he'll become the first of them inducted into the Basketball Hall of Fame.
"That's the ultimate form of appreciation. So, at that moment, I just wonder if you felt like people did recognize the sacrifices that I made."
"Absolutely, and I never wanted to get into a mode where I am making sacrifices. So, people would give me praise or people would give me credit. I did it for myself and the team."
Bosh no longer lives in South Florida, but his Heat legacy hangs from the rafters and there's a part of his time here, I surely won't forget, "I miss the parties that you had. I remember the birthday party and I'm doing a live shot next to a camel," said CBS4's Jim Berry.
"Yeah, those were good times. We miss them too! Thanks for the memories, Chris. I appreciate you, man. Thank you. I appreciate you," said Bosh.
