Christopher Wesson Bosh (born March 24, 1984) is an
AmericanThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
professional
basketballBasketball is a team sport in which two teams of 5 players try to score points against one another by placing a ball through a
10 foot high hoop under organized rules...
player in the
NBAThe National Basketball Association is a professional basketball league, composed of thirty teams in North America . It is an active member of USA Basketball , which is recognized by the International Basketball Federation as the National Governing Body for basketball in the United States...
who plays for the
Toronto RaptorsThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's expansion...
.
Garnering an array of basketball accolades since his
high schoolHigh school is the name used in some parts of the world, particularly in Scotland, Northern America and Oceania, to describe an institution that provides all or part of secondary education...
days, the
power forwardPower forward is a position in the sport of basketball. The position is referred to in playbook terms as the four position and is commonly abbreviated "PF". Power forwards play a role similar to that of center in what is called the "post" or "low blocks"...
left college after one season to enter the
2003 NBA DraftThe 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
. He was selected fourth overall by the Raptors in a very competitive draft class. Since his NBA career began Bosh has emerged as one of the most established young stars in the league. In the process, he has become a four-time
NBA All-StarNBA All-Star may refer to:*NBA All-Star Weekend*NBA All-Star Game*List of NBA All-Stars, players who have been selected to play in the NBA All-Star Game...
, been named to the All-NBA team, appeared for the
US national teamThe USA men's national basketball team is the representative team for the United States of America in international men's basketball. The USA is one of the most successful teams in international competition, winning medals in all sixteen Olympic tournaments it has entered, coming away with thirteen...
(with whom he won a gold medal at the 2008 Olympics), and taken over former fan-favorite
Vince CarterVincent Lamar Carter , better known as Vince Carter, is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He is currently a shooting guard/small forward for the Orlando Magic...
as the face and leader of the Raptors
franchiseProfessional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The most common are those in the North American mode and those in the European mode. Generally, the North American structure is characterized by its use of franchises and closed membership; the European structure is characterized by its...
. In the 2006–07 season, Bosh led the Raptors to their first
NBA PlayoffsThe National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament between sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams...
berth in five years, and their first ever
divisionThe Atlantic Division is a division in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The 76ers, Knicks, Nets, and the Celtics were already in the seven team Atlantic before the merge that brought the Raptors and sent the Heat, Magic and Wizards to the new Southeast Division. The current divisions have been...
title. He is Toronto's all-time leader in
reboundsA rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made....
,
blocksIn basketball, a block occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward...
, double doubles,
free throwIn basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
s made and attempted, and minutes played.
Owing to his initials and jersey number, Bosh is nicknamed "
CB4", a name first coined by former Toronto Raptors play-by-play commentator,
Chuck SwirskyChuck Swirsky is the radio play-by-play voice of the Chicago Bulls of the NBA. He was formerly the longtime play-by-play voice of the Toronto Raptors....
. Off the court, Bosh is noted for his
philanthropyPhilanthropy is the effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations.- Definition :It is generally agreed that the word was coined 2500 years ago in ancient Greece, by the playwright Aeschylus, or whom ever else wrote Prometheus Bound...
and active community service. In recognition of his own childhood experience, Bosh set up the Chris Bosh
FoundationA foundation is a legal categorization of nonprofit organizations. Foundations may also and often have charitable purposes. This type of nonprofit organization may either donate funds and support to other organizations, or provide the sole source of funding for their own charitable...
to help promote sports and education amongst youths in Dallas and
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
, and regularly speaks to youths about the benefits of reading.
Early life
Born in Dallas,
TexasTexas is the second-largest U.S. state in both area and population, and the largest state in the contiguous United States.The name had wide usage among native Americans, meaning "friends" or "allies"...
, to Noel and Freida Bosh, Chris Bosh grew up in
Hutchins, TexasHutchins is a city in Dallas County, Texas, United States. The population was 2,805 at the 2000 census.Union Pacific's Dallas Intermodal Terminal is located partly in the city of Hutchins and partly in the city of Wilmer . The shipping facility, was built by AUI Contractors LP, Prime Rail Interests...
. A family-oriented person, Bosh often played basketball in the house with his younger brother, Joel. By four years of age, he began learning how to dribble a basketball in the gym where his dad played pick-up games. Although Bosh was always tall since youth and this allowed him to out-
reboundA rebound in basketball is the act of successfully gaining possession of the basketball after a missed field goal or free throw. Rebounds in basketball are a routine part in the game, as all possessions change after a shot is successfully made....
others in basketball games, he only started learning the game around fourth grade at a playground near his grandmother's house. Apart from basketball, Bosh also played
baseballBaseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The goal is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot square, or diamond...
up till high school, preferring to play as
first basemanFirst base, or 1B, is the first of four stations on a baseball diamond which must be touched in succession by a baserunner in order to score a run for that player's team. A first baseman is the player on the team playing defense who fields the area nearest first base, and is responsible for the...
. Growing up, Bosh names his parents as the biggest influences on his personality and considered NBA superstar
Kevin GarnettKevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays at the power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After having a successful high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy, he decided to forgo college and entered...
as his favorite athlete, modeling his play after him. Academically, Bosh always did well in school but he began to garner significant attention from college recruiters when he led Lincoln High School in Dallas to the number one ranking in the country and the
USA TodayUSA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth...
National Championship with a perfect 40–0 season.
The teenager went on to lead Lincoln High to win the Class 4A state title before 16,990 fans as he racked up 23
pointsPoints in basketball are used to keep track of the score in a game. Points can be accumulated by making field goals or free throws ....
, 17 rebounds and nine
blocksIn basketball, a block occurs when a defensive player legally deflects a shot from an offensive player. The defender must not touch the offensive player's hands or otherwise a foul is called. In order to be legal, the block must occur while the shot is traveling upward...
. Bosh was subsequently named High School Player of the Year by Basketball America,
PoweradePowerade is a sports drink manufactured and marketed by The Coca-Cola Company. First introduced in 1988, its primary competitor is PepsiCo's Gatorade...
Player of the Year in Texas, a First-team all-American by
ParadeA parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, floats or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually celebrations of some kind...
,
McDonald'sMcDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of hamburger fast food restaurants, serving nearly 47 million customers daily. At one time it was the largest global restaurant chain, but it has since been surpassed by multi-brand operator Yum! and sandwich chain Subway.In addition to its...
and
EA SportsEA Sports is a brand name used by Electronic Arts since 1993 to distribute games based on sports. Formerly a gimmick inside Electronic Arts sports games, that tried to mimic real-life sports networks, calling themselves "EA Sports Network" with pictures or endorsements of real commentators such as...
, a Second-team all-American by
USA Today and
SLAM MagazineSLAM Magazine is an American basketball magazine that has been in circulation since 1994, and is published by Source Interlink Media. SLAM publishes nine issues a year to its circulation of over 500,000 readers worldwide.-History:...
, a First-team all-state player, and "Mr. Basketball" in Texas by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches. With his combination of grades and basketball skills, Bosh was on a number of college recruiting lists. Florida and
MemphisThe University of Memphis is an American public research university located in the Normal Station neighborhood of Memphis, Tennessee and is a flagship public research university of the Tennessee Board of Regents system....
made serious attempts, but it was
Paul HewittPaul Harrington Hewitt is an American college basketball coach at Georgia Tech. He grew up in Westbury, New York.-Early career:...
, coach of the
Georgia Institute of TechnologyThe Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly called Georgia Tech, Tech, and GT, is a public, coeducational research university in Atlanta, Georgia in the United States...
(Georgia Tech), who made the best impression. Bosh felt Hewitt would look out for his best interests and respect his aspirations to play professional basketball; moreover, Georgia Tech's transition offense impressed the teenager.
Bosh eventually chose to follow the footsteps of his cousin and aunt and attended Georgia Tech to study graphic design and computer imaging, and subsequently, management. There, he led the
Yellow JacketsThe Yellow Jackets is the name used for all of the intercollegiate athletic teams that play for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. The teams have also been nicknamed the Ramblin' Wreck, Engineers, Blacksmiths, and Golden Tornado. There are 8 men's and 7 women's teams that...
in averaging 15.6 points, 9.0 rebounds and 2.2 blocks in 31 games, and led the
Atlantic Coast ConferenceThe Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953, the ACC's twelve member universities compete in twenty sports in the Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association...
in
field goal percentageField goal percentage in basketball is the ratio of field goals made to field goals attempted. Its abbreviation is FG%. Three-point field goals are included in this percentage. Instead of using scales of 0 to 100%, the scale .000 to 1.000 is commonly used. A higher field goal percentage denotes...
(.560), joining
Antawn JamisonAntawn Cortez Jamison is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association...
as the only
freshmenA freshman is a first-year student in an educational institution. The term first year can also be used as a noun, to describe the students themselves A freshman (or sometimes fish, freshie, slang plural frosh) is a first-year student in an educational institution. The term first year can also be...
ever to do so. Bosh originally intended to complete his degree as he valued the importance of education, but by the end of the 2002–03 season, his strong performances convinced him that he was ready for the NBA. Thus, he left Georgia Tech after his freshman season and entered the
2003 NBA DraftThe 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
. Although Bosh said in future interviews that he misses his college days, he believes he made the right decision to pursue a
professional careerProfessional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are those in which athletes receive payment for their performance. While men have competed as professional athletes throughout much of modern history, only recently has it become common for women to have the opportunity to become professional...
. He also intends to obtain his college degree one day, to fulfill a promise made to his mother.
NBA career
Rookie year
In a strong draft class comprising future All-Stars
LeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James," he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar...
,
Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets, of the National Basketball Association . He has also played with the United States national basketball team. He went to Towson Catholic for high school and decided to go to Syracuse for college...
, and
Dwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. , nicknamed "Flash" or "D-Wade", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association . Wade was named 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated...
, Bosh was selected fourth overall by the Toronto Raptors in the
2003 NBA DraftThe 2003 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2003 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, such as players from high schools and...
and was signed on July 8, 2003. Prior to his signing, however, other NBA teams made offers for Bosh as they knew Toronto needed a veteran scorer, and Raptors star
Vince CarterVincent Lamar Carter , better known as Vince Carter, is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He is currently a shooting guard/small forward for the Orlando Magic...
himself pressed for a trade. General manager
Glen GrunwaldGlen Grunwald is currently the senior vice president for basketball operations of the New York Knicks of the NBA...
turned everyone down.
In his rookie season Bosh was forced to play out of position as the Raptors' starting
centerThe center, colloquially known as the five or the pivot, is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. The center is normally the tallest on the team, and often has a great deal of strength and body mass as well...
after
Antonio DavisAntonio Lee Davis is a retired American National Basketball Association player. Davis is also the former president of the NBA Players Association .-College career:...
was traded to the
Chicago BullsThe Chicago Bulls are an American professional basketball team based in Chicago, Illinois, playing in the Central Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was founded in 1966. They play their home games at the United Center...
. Night in and night out the wiry teenager battled against opponents who had a significant size and strength advantage over him. Bosh—who cited teammate
Michael CurryMichael Edward Curry is an American basketball coach and former head coach of the NBA's Detroit Pistons. Curry was hired June 9, 2008 to replace fired Flip Saunders...
as his mentor—was often praised by his coaches for his heart, and willingness to play through pain and injuries resulting from his lack of body strength compared to some of the league's strong forwards and centers. Bosh's contributions were not unnoticed by teammates either, as he averaged 11.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, 1.41 blocks, and 33.5 minutes in 75 games, leading all rookies in rebounding and blocks, and setting a franchise record for most rebounds in a rookie season with 557. Bosh was rewarded by being selected to the All-Rookie First Team for the 2003–04 season.
Heralded as the new hope
With the departure of the disenchanted
franchiseProfessional sports leagues are organized in numerous ways. The most common are those in the North American mode and those in the European mode. Generally, the North American structure is characterized by its use of franchises and closed membership; the European structure is characterized by its...
face of the team,
Vince CarterVincent Lamar Carter , better known as Vince Carter, is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He is currently a shooting guard/small forward for the Orlando Magic...
, in December 2004, Bosh was simultaneously anointed as the new leader around whom Toronto would build. In the remaining games following Carter's departure, the power forward averaged 18.4 points, 9.5 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 38.1 minutes per game, improving in every major statistical category. In recognition of his efforts, he was awarded his first ever NBA
Eastern ConferenceThe Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association is made up of fifteen teams, organized in three divisions of five teams each.The three division winners and the non-division winner with the best record are seeded 1 through 4 for the playoffs in order of their records, with all...
Player of the Week for games played between 3 and 9 January, 2005. As the season drew to a close, analysts predicted that Bosh would become an All-Star one day. Bosh ended the 2004–05 season as the leading scorer and leading rebounder for the team on 21 and 46 occasions respectively.
Prior to the 2005–06 season, Bosh was named as one of Toronto's team captains. Bosh continued to work on his game as he consistently chalked up double doubles, leading the team in scoring, rebounding, and field goal percentage for the first half of the season. On February 9, 2006, for the first time in his career, Bosh was selected to play in the
2006 NBA All-Star GameThe 2006 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 19, 2006 at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas, home of the Houston Rockets. The game was the 55th annual All-Star game...
in
Houston, TexasHouston is the fourth-largest city in the United States and the largest city within the state of Texas. As of the 2008 U.S. Census estimate, the city has a population of 2.2 million within an area of 600 square miles . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of...
as a reserve forward for the Eastern Conference. He was only the third Raptor to make an All-Star game, after Carter and Antonio Davis. Bosh's selection was just three days after he was named NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the second time in his career. In March 2006, following a season-ending injury to Bosh, the Raptors slid to a 1–10 record. This highlighted Bosh's importance as the centerpiece of the offense, as well as the leader of the team. The Raptors finished the season 27–55 and Bosh averaged 22.5 points, 9.2 rebounds, and 2.6
assistsIn basketball, an assist is attributed to a player who passes the ball to a teammate in a way that leads to a score by field goal, meaning that he or she was "assisting" in the basket. There is some judgment involved in deciding whether a passer should be credited with an assist...
per game.
Despite a major off-season revamp of the Raptors roster—including the departure of good friends
Mike JamesMichael Lamont James is an American professional basketball player currently with the Washington Wizards of the NBA.-Early years:...
and
Charlie VillanuevaCharlie Alexander Villanueva is an American-Dominican National Basketball Association player who currently plays for the Detroit Pistons....
—Bosh officially signed a three-year contract extension with a player option for a fourth year on July 14, 2006. The deal was reportedly worth US$65 million over four years. Upon signing the contract, Bosh said "I think the future is very positive for the franchise...change was needed...we have a lot of guys who just want to win and are willing to work hard." During the same press conference, Bosh also announced a donation of $1,000,000 to a
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
charityA charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . The term is relatively general and can technically refer to a public charity or a private foundation. It differs from other types of NPOs in that its focus is centered around goals of a general philanthropic nature A charitable...
, known as Community Legacy Programs.
Leader of the division champions
After a shaky start to the Raptors' 2006–07 campaign, the Raptors managed to surpass the 0.500 mark as the
All-Star breakThe National Basketball Association holds an All-Star Weekend every February, with a variety of basketball-related events, exhibitions, and performances culminating in the NBA All-Star Game held on Sunday night.-The All-Star Game:...
approached. Bosh's play and leadership were pivotal to this run and as an increasing recognition of his abilities, on January 25, 2007, he was named an All-Star starter for the East in the
2007 NBA All-Star GameThe 2007 NBA All-Star Game was played on Sunday, February 18, 2007 at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas' Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, United States. It was the 56th annual All-Star Game. It was the first time the All-Star Game was played in a city without an NBA franchise and...
. Bosh received the second highest number of votes among all Eastern Conference forwards. This was his first All-Star start and second overall All-Star appearance, having averaged over 22 points and 11 rebounds in the first half of the season. On January 31, 2007, in a game against the
Washington WizardsThe Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
, Bosh scored a
buzzer-beatingIn basketball, a buzzer beater is a shot taken just before the game clock of a period expires, when the buzzer sounds. The term is normally reserved for baskets that win or tie the game, but also refers to shots that beat an end of quarter or halftime buzzer...
shot to end the third quarter of the game. He shot 15-of-15 after missing his first four shots. Bosh's in-form streak enabled him to be selected Eastern Conference Player of the Month for January 2007. He had averaged 25.4 points and 9.1 rebounds while leading the Raptors to a 10–5 record in that month. On February 7, 2007, Bosh's career-high 41 points prompted the home fans to chant "
MVPIn sports, a Most Valuable Player award is an honor typically bestowed upon the best performing player or players on a specific team, in an entire league, or for a particular contest or series of contests...
"—an unprecedented event in the
Air Canada CentreThe Air Canada Centre is a multi-purpose arena located on Bay Street in downtown Toronto, Ontario. It is the home of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League, the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association and the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League...
. Two days later, Bosh collected 29 points and 11 rebounds against the
Los Angeles LakersThe Los Angeles Lakers are a National Basketball Association team based in Los Angeles, California. The Lakers play their home games at Staples Center, which they share with their fellow NBA rival, the Los Angeles Clippers, and their sister team, the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA...
, shooting 10-of-10 in the second half.
On March 28, 2007, Bosh became the new franchise record holder for double doubles in a home win against the
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena...
. He was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the third time in his career shortly after, having led Toronto to clinch their first
NBA PlayoffsThe National Basketball Association Playoffs is a best-of-seven elimination tournament between sixteen teams in the Eastern Conference and Western Conference , ultimately deciding the final four teams who will play in the NBA Conference Finals.-Format:Following the NBA regular season, eight teams...
berth in five years. Toronto went on to win its first ever
divisionThe Atlantic Division is a division in the Eastern Conference of the NBA. The 76ers, Knicks, Nets, and the Celtics were already in the seven team Atlantic before the merge that brought the Raptors and sent the Heat, Magic and Wizards to the new Southeast Division. The current divisions have been...
title, and concluded the regular season with a 47–35 record, including a 30–11 home record, both franchise records. As third seed, the Raptors played sixth seed
New Jersey NetsThe New Jersey Nets are a professional basketball team in the National Basketball Association that plays in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division. They are currently based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and play their home games at the Izod Center...
in the first round of the
2007 NBA PlayoffsThe 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
. The series drew much media attention as Carter, who left had Toronto under acrimonious circumstances, was back at the ACC as a Net. In the opening game, while Carter was constantly booed by the home crowd and was not an offensive threat, Toronto's inexperience was evident as they struggled offensively and were down 65–78 going into the fourth quarter. A late rally by Toronto in the fourth quarter was not enough as they eventually lost 91–96. The Raptors won Game 2 at the ACC to tie the series 1–1, as Bosh recorded 25 points and a game-high 13 rebounds. The Nets won games 3 and 4 to lead 3–1, but Toronto forced Game 6 when they narrowly won 98–96 in Game 5. New Jersey won Game 6, however, and sent Toronto out of the first round. Bosh averaged a double-double with 22.6 ppg and 10.7 rpg for the regular season, both career-highs, and posted 17.5 ppg and 9.0 rpg for the playoffs. He was named to the All-NBA Second Team at the end of the 2006–07 campaign.
Before the 2007–08 season began,
Andrea BargnaniAndrea Bargnani, nicknamed "Il Mago" , is an Italian professional basketball player with the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association. He was selected first overall in the 2006 NBA Draft. He is a power forward/centre standing at 213 cm and weighing 113.4 kg...
, the number one pick of the
2006 NBA DraftThe 2006 NBA Draft was held on June 28, 2006 at the Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City and was broadcast in the United States on ESPN. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur U.S...
, was slated to start alongside Bosh to form a strong Toronto
frontcourtFrontcourt is a term used in basketball referring to the small forward, power forward, and center positions as a cohesive unit....
and
Jason KaponoJason Alan Kapono is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Philadelphia 76ers of the National Basketball Association.-Early life:Kapono was born in Long Beach, California to Joe and Joni Kapono...
, a three-point specialist, was acquired via free agency from the
Miami HeatThe Miami Heat are a professional basketball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. The team is a member of the Southeast Division in the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association . They play their home games at American Airlines Arena...
to add further offense to the team; however, as the season unfolded, neither plans materialized as hoped. Bosh himself had a slow start to the season, but as mid-season approached, his form picked up and he was named Player of the Week for the second week of January. On January 31, 2008, he was selected to be on the Eastern Conference team for the
2008 NBA All-Star GameThe 2008 NBA All-Star Game took place on February 17, 2008 at the New Orleans Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, home of the New Orleans Hornets. The game was the 57th edition of the All-Star Game, the first in New Orleans and the first major professional sporting event to take place in the New...
. In the meantime, Toronto continued to struggle and their problems were exacerbated when regular starting
point guardPoint guard , also called the one or "the ball-handler", is one of the standard positions in a regulation basketball game. A point guard has perhaps the most specialized role of any position -- essentially, they are expected to run the team's offense by controlling the ball and making sure that it...
T. J. FordTerrance Jerod "T. J." Ford is an American professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He is a point guard for the Indiana Pacers. Having been awarded numerous top basketball accolades in high school and college, Ford entered the 2003 NBA Draft and was selected eighth...
returned from injury and became frustrated playing backup to
José CalderónJosé Manuel Calderón Borrallo is a Spanish professional basketball player who plays for the National Basketball Association's Toronto Raptors and the Spanish national team. He is the Raptors' starting point guard. Calderón is a capable shooter, with consistent range out to the 3-point line...
. Nevertheless, even with injuries to Bosh (15 games),
Jorge GarbajosaJorge Garbajosa Chaparro, Jr., nicknamed "Garbo" , is a Spanish professional basketball player. At 2.07 m , he plays both power forward and small forward. He is currently playing with Real Madrid of the Spanish League.-Europe:Garbajosa began his career playing for Taugres, later known as TAU...
(75 games) and Ford (31 games), the Raptors concluded the regular season with a 41–41 record, and clinched the sixth seed for the
2008 NBA PlayoffsThe 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
. However, they were defeated by the
Orlando MagicThe Orlando Magic are a professional basketball team based in Orlando, Florida. They play in the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Basketball Association and are currently coached by Stan Van Gundy...
in the first round, losing 4–1.
The first-round series against the Magic was touted as the matchup between two of the league's best young big men in
Dwight HowardDwight David Howard , nicknamed "Superman", is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
and Bosh, but the Raptors were perceived to have an advantage in their dual-point guard play. But with Orlando holding home court advantage, the Raptors were unable to win their first two road games. In Game 1, Bargnani was deployed as the starting
small forwardThe small forward, or, colloquially, the three, is one of the five positions in a regulation basketball game. Small forwards are typically somewhat shorter, quicker, and leaner than power forwards and centers, but on occasion are just as tall...
but this did not pay dividends. Orlando took a huge lead in the first quarter and with Howard dominating the game, Toronto were unable to cut back on the deficit. Game 2 saw Orlando opening up the first quarter with a big lead and Howard dominating yet again, but solid plays from Bosh, Kapono and Calderón gave the Raptors the lead with just a couple of minutes remaining in the game. With 9 seconds left on the clock, Bosh had a chance to score the game-winning basket but his 18-foot jumper missed the mark. In Game 3, Ford and Calderón stepped up their game, and the Raptors preserved some hope with a 108–94 home win. Only one point separated both teams leading up to the fourth quarter in Game 4, and despite Bosh recording 39 points and 15 rebounds, deadly shooting by the Magic in the final few minutes ensured victory for the visitors. Back on the road in Game 5, Toronto were outplayed by the Magic in the second half, and were eliminated from the first round four games to one. General Manager
Bryan ColangeloBryan Colangelo is the President and General Manager of the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. He is the son of Phoenix sports mogul, Jerry Colangelo. He attended Cornell University. He was the 2005 and 2007 recipient of the NBA Executive of the Year Award.-Phoenix:Colangelo began his NBA front-office...
said at a press conference thereafter, "Whether it's protecting [Bosh] inside the paint, getting a little bit more of a presence in there, to just getting him another scorer that's going to shoulder some of that burden, it's something that's clear we have to get better", hinting that changes to the squad beckoned for the next season. Bosh said after the loss, "They played a great series, they executed on offence and defence better than we did and when it came to the small things, they did a better job... I can't sit here and bark in protest that the better team didn't win. That's pretty obvious. They beat us pretty good." Unlike the previous campaign, Bosh was not named to any of the All-NBA teams.
To provide Bosh with a frontcourt partner, a blockbuster trade was agreed before the
2008–09 campaignThe 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
: six-time All-Star
Jermaine O'NealJermaine Lee O'Neal is an American professional basketball player who plays for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association. The 6 ft 11 in , 258 lb forward-center had a successful high school career and declared his eligibility for the 1996 NBA Draft straight out of high school...
was acquired from the
Indiana PacersI think Halo is a pretty cool guy. eh kills aleins and doesn't afraid of anything...-ABA years: Dynasty:In early 1967, a group of six investors pooled their resources to purchase a franchise in the proposed American Basketball Association.According to Indianapolis attorney...
in exchange for Ford, Rasho Nesterovič, and
Roy HibbertRoy Denzil Hibbert is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Indiana Pacers of the NBA. He plays the center position, and graduated from Georgetown University in 2008. He was drafted 17th overall in the 2008 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors.-Background:Roy Hibbert...
, the 17th pick in the
2008 NBA DraftThe 2008 NBA Draft was held on June 26, 2008 at the Washington Mutual Theatre at Madison Square Garden in New York City, New York. In this draft, National Basketball Association teams took turns selecting amateur college basketball players and other first-time eligible players, including...
. Bosh—who had won an Olympic gold medal with the national team at Beijing 2008—started the season strong and playing better defense than ever. He averaged 26 points, 10 rebounds and 3.7 assists in his first three games and was named Eastern Conference Player of the Week for the fifth time in his career. A week later, he became Toronto's all-time leader in offensive rebounds, surpassing Antonio Davis's record. While Bosh and O'Neal formed a formidable partnership in the frontcourt, the Raptors struggled to surpass the .500 mark. The principal deficiency of previous campaigns—wing players—continued to upend Toronto's progress. With the Raptors at 8–9, head coach Sam Mitchell was sacked and replaced by
Jay TrianoJay Triano is a former Canadian professional basketball player and the current head coach of the NBA's Toronto Raptors. Triano gained recognition during his tenure as coach of the Canadian men's national team. He is also a former national team player, who competed in two Olympics, starting in 1984...
. Under the new regime, Bargnani finally blossomed as a player, but injuries and weaknesses in the roster meant that the Raptors entered the All-Star break 13 games under .500. On January 29, 2009, Bosh was named an All-Star reserve, but an injury ruled him out of the game. Two weeks later, in a bid to bring in a wing player and create greater salary flexibility, O'Neal and
Jamario MoonJamario Raman Moon is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Cleveland Cavaliers. He has played for the Profile Patriots, Harlem Globetrotters, CBA's Albany Patroons, Fuerza Regia in the Mexican LNBP, and the USBL Gary Steelheads, and Toronto Raptors...
were traded to Miami for
Shawn MarionShawn Dwayne Marion is an American professional basketball player of the National Basketball Association who currently plays for the Dallas Mavericks...
and
Marcus BanksArthur Lemarcus Banks III, commonly known as Marcus Banks , is an American professional basketball player currently with the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. On February 6, 2008, Banks and Shawn Marion left the Phoenix Suns in a trade for the Miami Heat's Shaquille O'Neal...
. The trade did not improve the team's win–loss record, however, and the Raptors were eliminated from contention with seven games of the regular season remaining. The bright spark in Bosh's campaign was his career-high 22.7 points per game, as well as his being one of two players in the league that season (the other being Dwight Howard) to average a 20/10 in points and rebounds. In response to mounting speculation that he would seek a trade in the offseason, Bosh said that he would not. On April 20, 2009, Colangelo announced that he would offer Bosh a contract extension during the summer, but Bosh eventually said that he would not sign an extension.
A new team is built
To prepare for the
2009–10 seasonThe 2009–10 NBA season will be the 64th season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season will begin on Tuesday, October 27, 2009, and will end on Wednesday, April 14, 2010....
, Bosh worked out under Ken Roberson, looking to add 20 pounds and bring his weight up to 250. Following the failure of the 2008–09 campaign, Colangelo knew that he had to shake up the roster to persuade Bosh to stay, and the Raptors were one of the busiest teams in the pre-season market. Toronto's lack of wing players was addressed by the the drafting of
DeMar DeRozanDeMar Darnell DeRozan is an American professional basketball player, selected ninth overall in the 2009 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors of the National Basketball Association . DeRozan played college basketball at USC for the Trojans...
and the acquisition of Hedo Türkoğlu,
Antoine WrightAntoine Domonick Wright is an American professional basketball player for the NBA's Toronto Raptors...
and
Marco BelinelliMarco Stefano Belinelli is an Italian professional basketball player currently with the Toronto Raptors of the NBA.He is tall and plays as a shooting guard...
, while former Georgia Tech team mate and Indiana point guard
Jarrett JackJarrett Matthew Jack is an American professional basketball player for the Toronto Raptors of the NBA. He plays guard, is 6' 3" tall, and weighs 197 lbs .-High school career:...
was also signed.
Regular season
|-
| align="left" | 2003–04
| align="left" |
TorontoThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's expansion...
| 75 || 63 || 33.5 || .459 || .357 || .701 || 7.4 || 1.0 || .8 ||
1.4 || 11.5
|-
| align="left" | 2004–05
| align="left" | Toronto
|
81 ||
81 || 37.2 || .471 || .300 || .760 || 8.9 || 1.9 ||
.9 ||
1.4 || 16.8
|-
| align="left" | 2005–06
| align="left" | Toronto
| 70 || 70 ||
39.3 ||
.505 || .000 || .816 || 9.2 ||
2.6 || .7 || 1.1 || 22.5
|-
| align="left" | 2006–07
| align="left" | Toronto
| 69 || 69 || 38.5 || .496 || .343 || .785 ||
10.7 || 2.5 || .6 || 1.3 || 22.6
|-
| align="left" | 2007–08
| align="left" | Toronto
| 67 || 67 || 36.2 || .494 ||
.400 ||
.844 || 8.7 ||
2.6 ||
.9 || 1.0 || 22.3
|-
| align="left" |
2008–09The 2008–09 NBA season was the 63rd season of the National Basketball Association . The 1,230-game regular season began on Tuesday, October 28, 2008, and ended on Wednesday, April 15, 2009...
| align="left" | Toronto
| 77 || 77 || 38.0 || .487 || .245 || .817 || 10.0 || 2.5 ||
.9 || 1.0 ||
22.7
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 439 || 427 || 37.1 || .487 || .288 || .795 || 9.2 || 2.2 || .8 || 1.2 || 19.6
|-
| align="left" | All-Star
| align="left" |
| 3 || 2 || 20.3 || .517 || .000 || .429 || 7.3 || 1.3 || .0 || .0 || 11.0
Playoffs
|-
| align="left" |
2006–07The 2007 NBA Playoffs was the postseason to the National Basketball Association's 2006–2007 season.There were four rounds of postseason action, all of them in a best-of-seven format, with teams seeded on a bracket. The team with the better record wasn't necessarily the basis of seeding teams in...
| align="left" |
TorontoThe Toronto Raptors are a professional basketball team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are part of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Basketball Association . The team was established in 1995, along with the Vancouver Grizzlies, as part of the NBA's expansion...
|
6 ||
6 || 37.0 || .396 ||
.200 ||
.842 ||
9.0 || 2.5 || .8 ||
1.8 || 17.5
|-
| align="left" |
2007–08The 2008 NBA Playoffs was the postseason for the National Basketball Association's 2007–08 season which ended with the Eastern Conference champion Boston Celtics defeating the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers 4–2....
| align="left" | Toronto
| 5 || 5 ||
39.8 ||
.472 || .143 || .833 ||
9.0 ||
3.6 ||
1.6 || .4 ||
24.0
|-
| align="left" | Career
| align="left" |
| 11 || 11 || 38.3 || .433 || .167 || .838 || 9.0 || 3.0 || 1.2 || 1.2 || 20.5
International career
Bosh's international career began in 2002 when he was selected as a member of the 2002 USA Basketball Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that finished with a 4–1 record and the bronze medal.
After his NBA career began, Bosh was named in March 2006 to the 2006–2008 United States men's national basketball team program, and helped lead the team to a 5–0 record during its pre-World Championship tour. In August 2006, Bosh was named as a member of the 2006 USA World Championship Team. Together with fellow 2003 draftees
Dwyane WadeDwyane Tyrone Wade, Jr. , nicknamed "Flash" or "D-Wade", is an American professional basketball player who currently plays for the Miami Heat in the National Basketball Association . Wade was named 2006 Sportsman of the Year by Sports Illustrated...
,
LeBron JamesLeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Cleveland Cavaliers of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James," he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar...
,
Carmelo AnthonyCarmelo Kiyan Anthony is an American professional basketball player for the Denver Nuggets, of the National Basketball Association . He has also played with the United States national basketball team. He went to Towson Catholic for high school and decided to go to Syracuse for college...
, and
Kirk HinrichKirk James Hinrich is an American professional basketball player, currently backup point guard for the NBA's Chicago Bulls. He has also been a member of the USA National Team....
, this team competed in the
2006 FIBA World ChampionshipThe 2006 FIBA World Championship was an international basketball competition hosted by Japan from August 19 to September 3, 2006. It was co-organised by the International Basketball Federation , Japan Basketball Association and the 2006 Organizing Committee...
. The team won the bronze medal, defeating former 2004
OlympicThe Olympic Games are a major international event of summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes compete in a wide variety of events. The Games are currently held every two years, with Summer and Winter Olympic Games alternating. Originally, the ancient Olympic Games were held in...
champion
ArgentinaThe Argentine national basketball team is the basketball side that represents Argentina in basketball international competitions, and depends on the Argentine Basketball Federation....
. Bosh was ranked sixth in field goal percentage.
Following the 2006–07 season, Bosh was named to the team that would compete in the 2007 FIBA Americas tournament. However, he sustained a foot injury and withdrew from the squad. On June 23, 2008, he was named to the team that would compete in the 2008 Olympic Games in
BeijingBeijing is a metropolis in northern China and the capital of the People's Republic of China...
. During the tournament itself, Bosh operated as the main backup to center
Dwight HowardDwight David Howard , nicknamed "Superman", is an American basketball player for the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association . Howard, who usually plays center but can also play power forward, had an outstanding high school career at Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy...
as Team USA went unbeaten in all eight games en route to the gold medal, defeating
SpainThe Spanish national basketball team is the basketball team representing Spain in international competitions. As of September 2009, they are the reigning World and European champions and third in the FIBA World Rankings for men. .-Eurobasket:...
in the final. He averaged 9.1 points per game, and led the team in rebounds with 6.1 a game.
Player profile
Bosh, listed at 6 ft 10 in (2.08 m) and 230 pounds (104 kg), possesses excellent speed, athleticism, and ball handling for a player of his size. He is particularly noted for his ability to drive to the basket and finish strong or get to the
free throwIn basketball, free throws or foul shots are unopposed attempts to score points from a restricted area on the court , and are generally awarded after a foul on the shooter by the opposing team...
line—where he is also proficient—but he is also known for his well-developed jump shot. As the centerpiece of the Raptors' offence, when Bosh is
double teamA double team in basketball is defending one offensive player with two defensive players.Generally as a basketball strategy, each defender guards one offensive player. However, when an offensive player is overwhelming the defender, another defender may help out and create a double team...
ed, he is noted to unselfishly pass the ball to team mates who are in better shooting positions. Bosh improved his shooting range when he worked on his three point shooting during the summer of 2006 and showed improvement in the 2006–07 season. On November 8, 2006, against the Philadelphia Sixers, he hit a game winning three point shot with 6.1 seconds left. It was reminiscent of the shot that marked his "arrival" to the NBA in his first season, when he hit a game-tying three pointer against Houston to send the game to overtime. When the 2006–07 season concluded, Bosh had shot .343 from the three point arc for the season; he improved to .400 the following season.
In terms of leadership, Bosh has always led by example. As the leader of the Raptors, he is not noted for being vocal on the court, preferring to maintain his quiet and humble demeanor but expecting his team mates to match his work ethic. However, Bosh is also known to deliver stern rebukes to team mates who make bad calls on the court. Comparisons have been made between him and
Kevin GarnettKevin Maurice Garnett is an American professional basketball player who currently plays at the power forward for the Boston Celtics of the National Basketball Association . After having a successful high school basketball career at Farragut Career Academy, he decided to forgo college and entered...
due to their similar style of play and physique. Whereas the former does not possess the latter's defensive abilities, Bosh was observed to have adopted a greater defensive dimension to his game after his stint with Team USA at the 2008 Olympics where they won the gold medal.
Honors and achievements
- NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Month: January 2007
- NBA Eastern Conference Player of the Week: January 3, 2005; January 30, 2006; March 26, 2007; January 7, 2008; October 28, 2008
- NBA Atlantic Division Champion: 2006–07
- NBA All-Star: 2005–06, 2006–07, 2007–08, 2008–09 (did not participate due to injury)
- All-NBA
- NBA All-Rookie Team: 2003–04
- NBA Rookie All-Star Game: 2003–04, 2004–05
- Bronze medal winner with Team USA at the 2006 FIBA World Championship
- Gold medal winner with Team USA at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Other achievements
- 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 all-time leader in defensive rebounds
- Toronto's all-time leader in offensive rebounds
- 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 double-doubles
- Toronto's all-time leader in free throws made and attempted
- NBA Sportsmanship Award (divisional winner): 2007–08
Personal life
Besides his on-the-court exploits, Bosh was a
National Honor SocietyThe National Honor Society, or NHS, is a nationwide organization in the United States and consists of many chapters in high schools . Selection is based on four criteria: service, leadership, scholarship and character. The NHS requires some sort of service to the community, school, or other...
member and graduated with honors from Lincoln. He is also a member of the
National Society of Black EngineersNational Society of Black Engineers , founded in 1975 at Purdue University, is one of the largest student-run organizations in the US, centered on improving the recruitment and retention of African-American engineering students...
and the Dallas Association of Minority Engineers. Following his success in the NBA, Bosh soon had his own
YouTubeYouTube is a video sharing website on which users can upload and share videos. Three former PayPal employees created YouTube in February 2005. In November 2006, YouTube, LLC was bought by Google Inc. for $1.65 billion, and is now operated as a subsidiary of Google...
channel, and has since made various TV appearances.
In the field of
philanthropyPhilanthropy is the effort or inclination to increase the well-being of humankind, as by charitable aid or donations.- Definition :It is generally agreed that the word was coined 2500 years ago in ancient Greece, by the playwright Aeschylus, or whom ever else wrote Prometheus Bound...
, given that he was only a few years removed from a childhood not without its financial challenges, Bosh established the Chris Bosh Foundation in 2004. The Foundation's website describes the Foundation as "a non-profit organization promoting social enrichment, education and physical fitness among youth. The Foundation assists youth in reaching the educational and athletic goals they set through mentoring and setting examples in the community." The Foundation, with programs in
TorontoToronto is the most populous city in Canada and the provincial capital of Ontario. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. With over 2.5 million residents, it is the fifth most populous municipality in North America...
and Dallas, has worked closely with organizations such as the Toronto Special Olympics to raise important funding for community projects. Bosh's mother, Freida, is the CEO of the Foundation. As an avid reader, Bosh also regularly speaks to groups of Toronto children about the benefits of reading, and has received the NBA Community Assist Award for his active contributions for the Raptors community development program in Toronto and Dallas during the course of the NBA campaign. In November 2008, Bosh pledged to donate $75,000 to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Canada.
Paternity lawsuit
On March 24, 2009, it was reported that Bosh's former girlfriend, Allison Mathis, was seeking child support and sole custody of their child. Mathis alleged that when she was seven months pregnant, Bosh stopped supporting her financially and tried to remove her from their home. Three days later, it was reported that the dispute was only over
quantumQuantum meruit is a Latin phrase meaning "as much as he has deserved". This claim is also referred to as "unjust enrichment." In the context of contract law, it means something along the lines of "reasonable value of services"....
. Mathis' lawyer also told the press, "My client very much wanted this dispute to remain private. Certainly this thing did not get started by anything on our side... She is very distressed that somehow this thing got into the newspapers. She wants Trinity to have a good relationship with her dad, Chris Bosh, and adverse publicity makes that more difficult."
External links