Unique focus carried Chris Bosh into Hall of Fame

At Daddy Jack Records, it’s chords that breathe life into Chris Bosh’s new world.

Thus, he picks up a guitar, strumming gently; his E.T.-like fingers skillfully outlining the basic path to unimaginable destinations.

Bosh stated, “Occasionally, I also discern a melody. However, you commence with this concept, not expecting it to be the dominant sound. Instead, start with the central idea. The chords usually guide you on which paths to follow and which boundaries to remain within simultaneously. Once I initiate with the chords and discover something appealing, I progress from there.”

Bosh got to this place by collaborating with exceptional songwriters and heeding the sage advice given by “great artists and great professionals.”

It’s nothing new, really.

In music, which represents Bosh’s life after basketball, he follows the same step-by-step blueprint as he did in his 13-year career. This career included being the No. 4 pick in the 2003 draft, winning two titles with the Miami Heat, being selected for the All-Star team 11 times, and winning an Olympic gold medal. Bosh’s basketball journey will reach its pinnacle with his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Saturday. He will be inducted alongside Rick Adelman, Yolanda Griffith, Lauren Jackson, Paul Pierce, Bill Russell (as a coach), Ben Wallace, Chris Webber, and Jay Wright.

By conversing with enough individuals, you can swiftly determine the path Bosh took on his journey to basketball greatness.

“From a young age, it was evident that he had a clear vision of what he wanted and knew how to attain it,” stated Leonard Bishop, who coached Bosh at Dallas Lincoln High School. Bosh, a forward, contributed significantly to the Tigers achieving an impressive 40-0 record in his senior year, 2002, leading them to state and national championships. “Looking back, it’s clear that he was extremely intelligent and disciplined,” Bishop added.

Joel, Bosh’s younger brother, portrayed his elder sibling as a “geeky nerd” who was “constantly seeking to learn and read something.”

Above all, Bosh constantly strived for victory, regardless of the necessary sacrifices, even if it involved suppressing his own ego.

“Throughout his basketball career, he maintained this mindset,” stated Paul Hewitt, the previous college coach of Bosh at Georgia Tech, who is currently the head coach of the LA Clippers’ G League affiliate. “His approach to basketball was always genuine. It revolved around competition, self-improvement, and victory. These were his sole concerns. He never bothered about appearing cool. He’s the kind of person who achieves whatever he sets his mind to.”

Returning to the topic of music, Bosh applies the lessons he gained from his extensive NBA career. It consists of 893 regular-season games, 881 of which he started. His career scoring average was 19.2 points, and he shot 49.4% from the floor, 33.5% from the 3-point range, and 79.9% from the free-throw line.

Bosh effortlessly links the beats he creates with the shots he once took. His success in music production will mirror his strategic way of dismantling opponents during his basketball career.

“Basketball has instilled in me the confidence to venture into new fields,” he shared. “Considering music production, I strive to be the best producer possible. I’m familiar with the principles of hard work, improvement, honing skills, and emulating the greats. I apply these same fundamentals and principles to my music production.”

‘Humble beginnings’ for Bosh

Prior to achieving NBA stardom, Bosh used to share a bed with his younger brother Joel until he turned 6. Afterward, they shared a room in a three-bedroom, one-bath house in Hutchins, Texas, along with their parents, Noel and Frieda Bosh.

Aline DeJewel Dibbles Bosh, their father’s mother, resided next door with “Daddy Jack” Bosh. They were the owners of several houses in the neighborhood, which they rented out to family members. Their cousins, Lisa and Eldon Hearn, were Aline and Jack Bosh’s neighbors. A great uncle, who worked as a crossing guard at Hutchins Elementary for many years, lived at the other end of the street, whereas their aunt, Myrtle Dibbles, lived on the adjacent street.

With so many relatives nearby, the Bosh boys couldn’t help but avoid trouble.

Noel, their father, was a youth minister at South Central Church of Christ in Joppa, Texas, locally pronounced as “Joppee”. His duties included teaching Sunday school and leading the church’s song service.

The boys spent their time in various ways. They played Nerf ball which often resulted in the destruction of their closet door. Additionally, they mowed lawns, earned $5 and a meal by washing Aline’s car, or gathered pecans to sell at the local market.

“Chris started from humble beginnings,” said Joel Bosh, a former Alabama State basketball player and member of the Toronto Raptors’ 2009 Summer League team. “We didn’t grow up with luxuries like Jordans or basketball jerseys. This kept us grounded and instilled the value of hard work since nothing was handed to us. Even academic excellence required effort. This all greatly contributed to shaping Chris’s character.”

Although Bosh participated in football and even played as a pitcher on the baseball team during his younger years, it was basketball at Kennedy-Curry Middle School that he discovered to be his true calling.

The nearly 6-foot eighth grader quickly caught the attention of the coaches at Dallas Lincoln.

During Bosh’s sophomore year, Bishop became the head coach at Dallas Lincoln. Bishop’s son and teammate, Leonard Bishop Jr., recalls the Hall of Famer’s fondness for SLAM magazine. Bishop Jr. and Bosh were part of an art class together in the magnet program at Dallas Lincoln, where the former had a subscription to the magazine.

Bishop Jr. remembers how Chris would always jump to the “Punks” section of the SLAM magazine as soon as they got it. He was interested in researching his so-called competition. “He was always one step ahead, always trying to understand what the top players in our age group were up to,” says Bishop Jr.

“Bosh said, “That’s when I discovered Darius Miles, Lamar Odom, Omar Cook, LeBron James, Lenny Cook, the exceptional high school players. I aspired to be part of that discussion as well. I yearned to make it to that level one day.”

Hence, he delved deeper, ultimately transforming into a sponge for basketball knowledge, absorbing every bit of information available, not only from SLAM but also from the World Wide Web.

During Bosh’s senior season at Lincoln, Dallas Lincoln was preparing for a matchup against Midwest City, Okla, featuring Duke signee Shelden Williams (who would be the fifth pick of the 2006 draft). Coach Bishop invited Bosh into his office to review a scouting report on their opponent.

“Bishop shared his experience, “The Internet was a novel concept at the time, and Chris was more knowledgeable about it than me. I invited Chris to my office to discuss it. He told me, ‘Coach, I’ve researched him online and found out his preferences and aversions.’ Considering we’re speaking about a high school kid, his approach was quite distinctive. Many kids are disinterested in hearing about a scouting report, yet this kid had taken the initiative to prepare his own.”

A star willing to serve as a role player

Hewitt recalls recruiting a young player in 2001 who, despite not being considered the best player on his high school team at the time, reminded him of Bosh.

That title was carried by springy point guard Bryan Hopkins.

“He could actually fly, man,” said Joel Bosh.

LaMarcus Aldridge, the current power forward for the Brooklyn Nets, who was raised near Bosh in Dallas and finished high school two years subsequent to Bosh, conveyed to NBA.com that at that time, the Hall of Famer was considered “the gold standard for the big man.”

Regardless of the situation, the relationship between Bosh and Hopkins at Dallas Lincoln significantly influenced Bosh’s growth, as stated by the senior Bishop who retired in 2013. This experience taught Bosh about the value of putting aside personal interests for the common good. This lesson proved beneficial later, contributing to a 2002 state championship victory against future NBA player Kendrick Perkins and Ozen High School in Beaumont, Texas, and two NBA titles with the Miami Heat. It also fueled Bosh’s constant drive to improve and prove his worth among the top players in the league.

“Chris was never truly ‘the man,’ not even during his senior year in high school,” stated Leonard Bishop. “By midway through the year, it was virtually a toss-up between Chris and Hopkins. I sincerely believe that was significant for Chris, not only in terms of athletics but also psychologically.”

What first attracted Hewitt to Bosh was the mental aspect. In his second year coaching at Georgia Tech, Hewitt came across Bosh due to his academic performance.

“Hewitt revealed that they discovered him due to his impressive academic performance. They believed he had immense potential. He mentioned that one of his previous assistants, Dean Keener, was primarily responsible for him. Hewitt noted that Georgia Tech is academically challenging and they learnt about his interest in computer graphics and computer science, which led them to start recruiting him.

“We considered him an excellent student based on all the positive feedback we had received about his character. We thought, ‘Why not? Let’s take a chance on him.’ Keener viewed it as, ‘Perhaps he could be a significant contributor by his sophomore or junior year.’ However, by the spring of his junior year, we noticed that he had made immense progress.”

Fast forward to the summer when he attended the ABCD Camp in New Jersey. Notable attendees included LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony. He ranked as one of the top three players at the camp. I also recall seeing him during his senior year at a tournament in St. Louis. Despite his skills, he chose to play a supporting role rather than demanding every shot.

“He prioritized defense, blocking shots, rebounding, and running the floor – all the tasks typically expected of a role player.”

Simply put, Bosh played a significant role in achieving basketball victories.

Despite having scheduled visits to Michigan and Florida, Bosh only visited Georgia Tech, which was one of the larger schools that eventually showed interest in him.

Bosh was attracted to Georgia Tech due to its combination of athletics and academics. In his only season there, he clinched the 2003 ACC Rookie of the Year award. Coach Hewitt quickly recognized his value as a young player who was ahead of his time. Bosh was an early example of what we now see in today’s stretch fours and fives.

Hewitt was astounded by Bosh’s ability to shoot effortlessly from the perimeter as he worked on individual drills with the newest Yellow Jacket entering his freshman season.

Hewitt discussed one training session saying, “I posed a question to him, ‘Can you consistently shoot the ball from 3 like this?’ His response was just a shrug. So I proposed a deal, ‘If you practice taking 150 3-pointers daily from the trail spots and the top of the key, I’ll permit you to shoot them in matches.'”

Bosh knocked down 46 3-pointers in his only season at Georgia Tech at a clip of 47.8%, leading the Toronto Raptors to draft him fourth overall as a 19-year old in a 2003 draft class that also featured eventual Heat teammates LeBron James (No. 1) and Dwyane Wade (No. 5).

‘Instinct’ about the game pay off for Bosh

Bosh devoted his initial seven seasons to the Raptors, earning All-Star recognition by his third year. Additionally, he spearheaded Toronto’s 2007 and 2008 postseason appearances.

Bosh, during his time as a Raptor, made a total of five All-Star appearances. He had finally ascended to being “the man” on the biggest stage of the game. With an average of 20.2 points, 9.4 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks in his 497 starts in Toronto, Bosh established himself as the franchise’s leader in points (10,275), rebounds (4,776), and double-doubles (239).

However, if you’ve gotten this far, you would understand that for Bosh, that simply wasn’t sufficient.

“From as far back as high school, Chris seemed to grasp the need for a strong team to achieve his desired victory,” said Joel Bosh. “He’s never been self-centered on the court. His desire was to win and it was a deep-seated one.”

You’re referring to someone who’d shed tears even after losing ordinary games, not just the important ones. This would invariably motivate him to work harder. He would analyze the necessary steps to win and diligently work towards them, like slowly chipping away at a block.

Thus, Bosh made the decision to join Wade and James at the Miami Heat in the summer of 2010, through a sign-and-trade deal.

Former Raptors’ president and general manager, Bryan Colangelo, commented, “This is an extraordinary moment in professional sports. We’ve just seen these three young stars team up with the goal of radically altering this league.”

That’s precisely what took place as Miami’s ‘Big Three’ teamed up to capture back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013.

Nobody will ever forget the dying moments of Game 6 in the 2013 Finals, when Bosh snagged an offensive board and calmly dished to Ray Allen in the corner for a series-saving 3 against the San Antonio Spurs.

When asked how he instinctively knew that suppressing his own ego would eventually lead to the achievement of all his basketball dreams, Chris Bosh took a few moments to reflect.

“Man, I really couldn’t tell you,” Bosh confessed, “I’m not sure. As far as basketball is concerned, those decisions were simple for me to make. Life was the tough part. But when it was about basketball and planning, I just had that instinct. Even if it was about figuring out where to start learning, I instinctively knew the direction. I consistently trusted my gut and my intuition, and I’m grateful it turned out well.”

Having supportive mentors and people around you really makes a difference, it’s also about being fortunate. I was lucky to have coaches who’d pick me up without hesitation, feed me, and take me home. It’s still hard for me to understand why they’d say ‘I don’t want anything from you. I just want to see you succeed.’ I’ve been blessed with encounters with people who’ve helped me with no hidden agenda, saying ‘I’m just going to help this skinny kid out.’

“They were unaware that they were assisting a future Hall of Famer. They simply continued their normal activities, and for that, I’m incredibly grateful.”

Blood clots would ultimately force Bosh to the sidelines before he was prepared to retire from the game.

Hewitt recalls Bosh’s visits to watch LA Clippers games, and the forward’s regret at not being able to participate in the current NBA game that he had contributed to shaping. Bosh spent three years striving to make a comeback to the court, before ultimately choosing to announce his retirement in 2019.

“Hewitt said, ‘His stepping away was extremely difficult for him, and watching the game today was even tougher.’ He recalled a time when they attended a Clippers game together. ‘He commented, ‘The game has finally caught up to my style,’ referring to the newfound freedom and range big players are given to shoot from the perimeter.”

“He would always remember his fundamental beliefs as a big player. He was committed to joining the scrums and seizing the ball. However, I’m aware that it pained him to see the game progress to a stage where he believed he could have showcased all his skills. In that period, I believe he felt he could strive and struggle back to fitness and return to the game. When he ultimately had to retreat, it was a setback for him.”

Bosh had discovered pleasure in a multitude of pursuits up till that stage of his young life. He took delight in reading, writing, acquiring knowledge, and crafting. He had the ability to sketch, indulged in music, and once contributed a few lines to a rap track that Joel Bosh still possesses but vows to never release. Bosh also had a fascination with brewing beer as a pastime, choosing to name the final product ‘Daddy Jack’ after his grandfather, a name which also serves as the title of his record label.

When asked about the first venture he wanted to pursue after his basketball career, Bosh responded quickly.

Bosh described it as music. He’d never considered quitting the game after his first severe blood clot resulted in a pulmonary embolism. He believed that he still had a lot of basketball left to play. However, he had never pondered on what else he loved doing apart from basketball. When he eventually asked himself this question, it led to him picking up a guitar.

“Then, I’m creating that initial terrible beat,” he stated, chuckling. “It’s hard to explain. I don’t understand why starting music at 30-plus seemed so forbidden in my mind. But, that’s also what added a sense of thrill to it.”

In June 2021, Bosh released a book titled “Letters to a Young Athlete.”

He’s relying on his writing skills to draft a Hall of Fame induction speech, which he guesses is around 85 to 90% finished. Bosh humorously remarked, “we’re on about the seventh draft, and I’m getting ready to review it again.”

Bishop, Hewitt, and Keener, all former coaches, will be present at the ceremony on Saturday. However, Sam Mitchell, who was Bosh’s head coach while with the Raptors, won’t be able to attend due to a hip-replacement surgery. Leonard Jr., who is Bishop’s son and a former Lincoln teammate of Bosh, intends to wear his No. 4 Raptors jersey from Bosh’s rookie year. He mentioned that he might get emotional, acknowledging the immense effort Bosh has put into reaching this point.

Joel, the younger brother, will not be attending the family’s induction ceremony. The Bosh brothers have not communicated or spent time together since Jarrett Jack’s induction into the Georgia Tech Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. However, this will not diminish Joel’s happiness for Chris’s accomplishment. He intends to celebrate his elder brother’s significant achievement with his wife and daughter, expressing, “It’s really a blessing, man. My brother’s getting into the Hall of Fame, and that’s super cool.”

Meanwhile, Chris Bosh is eagerly anticipating the presence of numerous aunts at the ceremony who will be extremely proud and thrilled. This is in part due to the significance of the family patriarch, “Daddy Jack” Bosh to the entire Bosh family.

Bosh said, “Even today, they continue discussing him. They would say things like ‘Daddy would’ve said’ or ‘well, you know Daddy said.’ They are still sharing life lessons that originated from Daddy Jack. He had five children, and interestingly, I also have five kids. Therefore, I’d like to believe that his legacy lives on through me. I’m setting an example for them of what it could have been like if Daddy Jack had an education and an opportunity. This is what it could look like.”

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