Chris Bosh’s Concluding HoF Message Puts an End to 15YO Friction With Heartfelt Tribute

Over the weekend, LeBron James and Chris Paul became the first pair of NBA stars to get Hall of Fame enshrinement while still being active players. The honor was bestowed upon them due to the collective effort of the Redeem Team at the 2008 Olympics. Because of this, Kobe Bryant, Jason Kidd, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh, alongside Dwight Howard and Carmelo Anthony, received their second induction into the HOF. Naturally, the stars shared their emotions from the historic night.

It was the league commissioner who shared a glimpse from the weekend on his Instagram. Adam Silver added the caption, “2025 @hoophall Enshrinement”. It was a carousel post with multiple pictures from the night in Springfield. From the LeBron-Wade reunion to Coach K signing autographs, in between there was a photo of Chris Bosh celebrating the honor. The 13-year NBA veteran re-shared the post on his Instagram story to his 2.5 million followers. The 2x NBA champion thanked the organization and the programs that helped him through his journey, where he is now a proud 2x Hall of Famer.

“Thank you @hoophall @usbasketball @adamsilvernba @nba @miamiheat @raptors @georgiatech ! The game of basketball took me around the world and brought me to the Hall of Fame titles and memories.” Yes, he even tagged the Raptors, who picked him fourth overall in the 2003 Draft. Till 2010, he was part of the side until issues emerged. Previously, the then General Manager, Bryan Colangelo, felt that Bosh was already mentally checking out condos and clubs in South Beach.

Meaning, the player was already thinking about the future and not the current team. “Whether he was mentally checked out or just wasn’t quite into it down the stretch, he wasn’t the same guy. I think everybody saw that, but no one wanted to acknowledge it.” A few days later, the player, who was 26 at the time, responded and explained that quitting the team was never his plan. “I play this game as hard as I can every time I step on the court.” Plus, he also explained that leaving Toronto for Miami wasn’t an easy decision.

“Everybody thinks, ‘Oh, he was gone as soon as the season was over.’ It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. As different as another country is, it was still home for me. I had been there for seven years.” But now those bitter memories are in the rear view, as Chris Bosh is a 2x Hall of Famer. He concluded the story on his Instagram, “I will treasure for a lifetime and beyond!”

So, will the fans, who saw the 11x NBA All-Star’s career was cut short due to a blood clot issue. It was after LeBron and Bosh arrived in Miami in 2010 to form the Big3 with Dwyane Wade. They went on to win the 2012 and 2013 championships and appear in 4 straight finals. Unlike Bron, Bosh stayed with the Heat until the dreaded moment in 2016. At first, he was only set to miss the All-Star game due to an injury. But later, the doctors advised the forward to sit out the rest of the season.

Ultimately, he called it quits, and a 31-point game before the All-Star break would be the last time we’d see Chris Bosh play. But fans remember his contributions even today! In 893 regular-season games, he averaged 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. He wasn’t just a scorer either; Bosh logged 422 games with 20-plus points, 82 with 30+, and even had 10 games where he dropped 40. All while shooting nearly 50% from the field.

Bosh got emotional while recalling his time with the Redeem Team

On the podium while receiving the honor, LeBron James detailed why it was important for the team that Kobe Bryant was part of the team. He brought the leadership and the discipline the team was lacking, which caused the 2004 Bronze exit. It was a star-studded roster for the Redeem Team, where even the captain, Jason Kidd, called himself ‘waterboy’ for his lack of minutes. This wasn’t a dig, but a celebration of how everyone understood their roles. Even Bosh echoed this sentiment.

In April, it was announced that the 2008 team would be part of the HOF, and Chris Bosh, at the time, penned an emotional note. Today, I became a two-time Hall of Famer. And not just for what I did on the court—but for what we did together.” And here’s the thing—even if he wasn’t racking up points or starting every game, Bosh knew exactly why he was there. “I didn’t lead the team in points. I didn’t start every game. But I knew exactly why I was there,” he wrote.”I was there to rebound. To switch. To help. To connect. I was there to make the stars shine brighter by doing the things that didn’t show up in the box score.” 

He might have got only 17.3 minutes of action on average, but was efficient with 9.1 points,  6.1 rebounds, with 77.4 FG%! That’s why, despite fewer minutes and a lesser role on the team, the experience is not sour for Chris Bosh or any other member of the Redeem Team.