Heat raise Chris Bosh's No. 1 jersey to rafters

MIAMI (AP) — Chris Bosh stood at center court, looked out at the Miami Heat fans and just let the words flow. He spoke about his health scare in 2015. He spoke of his grandfather, the one he called Daddy Jack, the one who told his first grandson that he was going to be special one day.

And was Daddy Jack ever right.

His grandson is now officially immortal in Heat history.

With a Heat championship ring adorning each hand, Bosh observed as a massive banner, embossed with his name and the number 1, rose to the heights of the AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday night. He then gave a moving speech to the audience, including a portion in Spanish as a nod to Miami’s Latin culture.

“My name, my family name up here, that’s something I used to get laughed at for dreaming of,” Bosh said. “So never let anyone tell you that you can’t accomplish your dream. Those four letters on the back of that jersey are my wife’s name, my kids’ name, my father’s name, my grandfather’s name. We’re not just carrying on for another generation. But now, Daddy Jack, we’re up there forever.”

 

The ceremony took place just over three years after Bosh participated in his last game, marking the end of his 13-year career. Bosh was an All-Star for 11 of those years, made four trips to the NBA Finals, and won two championships. He is now the fourth player to be honored by the Heat with a retired number, following Alonzo Mourning, Tim Hardaway, and Shaquille O’Neal.

“Heat President Pat Riley said, “A lifer of the Miami Heat, forever and for always,” just moments before Bosh’s banner was unveiled and raised.

Riley referred to Bosh’s rebound and assist during the final regulation of Game 6 in the 2013 NBA Finals – which led to Ray Allen’s game-tying, series-saving 3-pointer – as the most significant in Heat history. Bosh, however, took it a notch higher.

“Bosh stated, “The biggest rebound in NBA history.”

In the foreseeable future, there will be at least three more jersey retirements from the Miami Heat. Dwyane Wade, LeBron James, and Udonis Haslem are sure to have their names and numbers hung over the court soon after their careers conclude.

Wade and Haslem were present on the court for the celebration. Despite the significance of Tuesday’s Miami-Orlando game for playoff prospects, Heat coach Erik Spoelstra had made the decision much earlier that his players would witness the Bosh ceremony from the floor.

Wade presented Bosh, sharing anecdotes about how he mastered Spanish using Rosetta Stone CDs and became a remarkable self-taught guitarist, even jamming with the iconic Buddy Guy. He also expressed his admiration for Bosh’s dedication to his roles as a father and husband.

“Wade said, ‘The person who made the ‘Big 3’ era legendary,'”

Spoelstra frequently shares anecdotes from his time spent with Bosh. One of his cherished memories is a night when, following a playoff defeat in Indiana that left the Heat trailing 2-1 in the series, Bosh showed up at his hotel suite at 2 a.m., beers in tow. They spent the next 45 minutes in conversation, without mentioning basketball once. The Heat went on to win Game 4 and the series.

“Spoelstra stated, “To truly grasp our culture and our essence, a night like tonight is unparalleled.”

The Heat gifted Bosh with a $50,000 donation to his foundation as well as a unique guitar designed by his friend, Rey Jeffet Jr. During his speech, Bosh elaborated on the significant role Heat fans played in supporting him through his initial health crisis in 2015, which was due to a blood clot – the same condition that eventually led to the end of his career in 2016.

Bosh received thousands of get-well cards from fans at his home, all of which were sent by the team. He read every single one of them.

“Bosh said, “Those letters motivated me to return to this court. They inspired me to gather the strength to walk across the room when I thought I couldn’t.”

For a certain period, there was a strained relationship between him and the Heat. Bosh was keen on continuing to play, however, the Heat believed his health matters wouldn’t permit him to. Ultimately, both parties came to terms and began communicating again.

He has now permanently returned to the Heat family.

“I feel like I can officially, officially, officially move on,” Bosh said. “It all happened really fast, but we’re here. I’m so happy. And we get to move on into the next life together.”