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There have been soft whispers in recent days about LeBron James’ leadership. The four-time NBA MVP is being heavily criticized after missing 27 games due to injury, then watching his Los Angeles Lakers fall in six games during the first round of the playoffs.
How much longer will the King’s reign last? Hall of Famer Chris Bosh weighed in on his former Miami Heat teammates’ legacy the other day. He thinks the Lakers need to add a few more pieces around James for him to sustain for a “little bit longer.” Bosh put a timetable of one to two more years for James to remain on the league’s throne.
“At a very high level, the way he’s capable of playing, two years maybe, at least one more year,” Bosh told FS1’s Undisputed, “and I think that’ll be an exciting thing because he’s really getting into uncharted territory.”
Bosh has been promoting his new book “Letters to a Young Athlete” which was released to Amazon on June 1. In it, the retired basketball star shares a riveting tale of James’ leadership during their first season together in South Beach. The “Big Three” was mired in a tough losing streak after the All-Star break — six defeats in seven games, per Bosh — when James dropped the hammer.
The Heat had just suffered a one-point loss to the Chicago Bulls during the 2010-11 campaign. It would go on to cost them the No. 1 seed that year in the Eastern Conference playoffs. Bosh noticed a different look on James’ face the next day at practice. He described the scene in the book (via Bleacher Report):
The next day at practice, I remember Bron coming in—and you could see it on his face. It wasn’t that he wasn’t happy. No one was. There was something about him that just embodied bouncing back. That he was back on track and we just needed to get on his energy.
The intensity that he brought to that practice was inspiring. To see the best player on the court sprinting full speed and leading the team with intensity and effort was what we all needed. We were all diving on the court for loose balls, taking charges, bringing that same intensity to the seemingly mundane drills. Getting back to the basics.
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Pat Riley Comments on Dwyane Wade
Much has been made about Dwyane Wade taking an ownership stake in the Utah Jazz over joining the Miami Heat front office. There was apparently some kind of overture extended to Wade but the all-time face of the franchise turned it down. Whatever the case, Heat president Pat Riley harbors no hard feelings toward the three-time champion. He’ll always be Heat royalty.
“Whatever Dwyane decides to do with the rest of his life in the NBA or whatever he does in Los Angeles, in other investment or personality situations, I’m happy as hell,” Riley told the “The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz” earlier this week. “He was offered the opportunity to be part-owner in a franchise and congrats to him.”
Bosh Finally Gets Call to Hoops Hall
Bosh will officially be inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame on Sept. 11 in Springfield, Mass. The “Class of 2021” includes Bosh, Rick Adelman, Yolanda Griffith, Lauren Jackson, Paul Pierce, Bill Russell, Ben Wallace, Chris Webber, and Jay Wright. The Heat legend averaged 19.2 points and 8.5 rebounds per game in 13 NBA seasons, including six of them in Miami. Bosh won back-to-back championships in 2012 and 2013 while earning 11 All-Star selections.
“Chris Bosh has been one of the all-time greats during his career and has earned his place in the Hall of Fame,” Riley said. “He is highly decorated and so deserving. We are proud that he is part of the HEAT family and we congratulate him.”
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