Chris Bosh is departing from the city of his greatest NBA fortunes. He isn't doing so without first giving thanks, though. Despite the awkward ending, the power forward spent several good years as part of the Miami Heat organization. One day, his jersey will hang from the rafters of the team's arena. So before one last solemn goodbye, Bosh went the way so many professional athletes have gone before: an open letter.
An ode to Miami
The open letter was published on Bosh's personal website on Sunday morning. There were some obvious points missing from his letter, immediately discernible to NBA fans.
There was no talk about the medical issues that derailed his career in Miami. There was also no mention of what the future holds for the power forward. That's not really what the letter was about, though. It was about the bond one player shared with a city he called home for seven seasons.
The letter was one of reflection. Bosh focused on the winning the Miami Heat did while he was in town. He also focused on the personal, citing the weddings attended and the families started during his tenure. He also threw some Spanish into the letter, a sign that he truly learned the local language of South Beach. He talked about how he has learned to "dream again" and how supportive the city has been of him throughout his time there.
Overall, the letter just showed a great amount of gratitude.
Where Bosh goes next
Of course, his time in Miami came to an end because of a series of medical maladies. Blood clots ended two of his seasons and have threatened the entirety of his career. The team refused to clear him for play, despite Bosh's insistence that he felt comfortable taking the court.
It created an awkward and tense relationship between the front office and the player. The team has spent a year waiting for him to be eligible to come off of their salary cap.
It's unclear if Chris Bosh will be able to continue his playing career, though, despite his known wishes. He will not be able to escape the issues that hindered him in Miami.
Most teams would be crazy to clear him to play, knowing the liability if something terrible happened to him on the court. He is better off calling it a career and getting into the next phase of his life, whether it's broadcasting or something else. The NBA will surely miss his play on the court and personality off of it. When the time is right, the Miami Heat will honor him properly, just as he did them with this letter.
