Bosh proves to be a gamer
Chris Bosh admits his premature transition from NBA player to non-playing days was a struggle.
“It’s extremely different because as athletes, especially in the NBA, you work your whole life and sacrifice to get this point professionally,” Bosh told USA Today Sports. “If and when that’s in jeopardy, it makes things very hard. I had to answer a lot of questions. I had to take time. It was a very rough time. What else do I like? I didn’t even know what else I liked.”
Bosh is a person with varied interests: travel, cooking, coding/technology, guitar, family.
Add a new one to the list: esports.
Bosh has joined esports franchise Gen.G Esports as a player management adviser. Bosh plans to bring his experience in sports to esports: leadership, communication, teamwork, championship ideals, dealing with pressure and off-the-court issues.
“It’s a dream for me to be able to work with these guys,” Bosh said. “The way I look at it, competing at a high level, whether that’s business, art or film, athletics, anything you do, there’s a certain way to go about it. Being in the NBA, being successful, being able to win championships at the highest level in the world, there’s certain core values that you have, certain things you have to follow.”
Gen.G competes in several games, including League of Legends, Heroes of the Storm and the Los Angeles-based Overwatch League.
How did this come about? Bosh developed a relationship with Gen.G co-founder and vice-chair Phillip Hyun.
“We talked a lot and were just hanging, and he said, ‘Why don’t you come see what it is we’re doing with Gen.G?’ ” Bosh said. “I took my kids to watch, and it was pretty cool. Phillip asked if I wanted to become involved in some sort of way, and it just came together.”
Bosh’s NBA career came to a halt after his second blood clot diagnosis in 2016. The first blood clot, which travelled to his lung, was discovered in 2015. He hasn’t played a game since just before the all-star break in 2016. He won two championships with the Heat, was named to 11 all-star teams (including five with the Raptors) and is an Olympic gold medallist.