Twenty-one years later, Chris Bosh nonetheless has regrets. Only one yr after graduating from Georgia Tech, the Yellow Jackets went all the best way to the nationwide championship, whereas Bosh, then a rookie for the Toronto Raptors, may solely watch in help.
That 2004 title recreation between Georgia Tech and UConn happened in San Antonio, Texas. Bosh finds himself again in that metropolis, working with AT&T at its Fan Fest forward of the 2025 Remaining 4.
A lot has modified with college basketball since Bosh performed, and but there are nonetheless a handful of similarities. Auburn has an enormous man in Johni Broome whose recreation resembles Bosh’s. Duke has a trio of one-and-done freshmen which are experiencing the strain Bosh confronted in his one season at Georgia Tech, and Houston‘s head coach, Kelvin Sampson, recruited Bosh to come back play for him at Oklahoma.
Bosh touched on these storylines in his interview with FOX Sports activities forward of Saturday’s Remaining 4 video games:
Q: How are issues in San Antonio? What are you doing on the Remaining 4, and what’s your particular function with AT&T?
Bosh: I am right here doing an occasion with AT&T and with the NBA Corridor of Fame, too. The Hall of Fame always announces the Hall of Famers-to-be for the upcoming class during the Final Four weekend. [AT&T has] at all times been concerned with basketball. It is a fairly cool set up out right here. It is the Fan Fest on the Conference Middle in San Antonio. There are baskets out right here. Children can play video games. It appears to be like a type of cool locations the place you’ll be able to hang around, and when you play basketball, you are going to be overloaded.
Q: When you consider the Remaining 4 and also you look again at your school profession, what do you consider?
Bosh: It was all too temporary. Joke: I bought drafted in 2003 and, in 2004, Georgia Tech misplaced within the Nationwide Championship Recreation to UConn right here in San Antonio. So, San Antonio is at all times a metropolis I am coming again to for the Remaining 4 or championship conditions. It is sort of loopy.
Q: What number of of your teammates have been on that Remaining 4 crew? Did you’re feeling such as you missed out?
Bosh: All of them. I left to go to the draft, and we had one other man switch, however he transferred to UConn. … Will Bynum, Jarrett Jack, Isma’il Muhammad, B.J. Elder — we had a extremely good crew. It was sort of loopy watching them, and I used to be a rookie. I wished nothing greater than to be enjoying with my associates.
Q: Do you assume when you have been enjoying on this period, [is staying another year] one thing you’ll’ve thought-about?
Bosh: I do not know if I’d have thought-about it as a result of basketball was my dream, however I’ll say that it is a actually fascinating choice for teenagers which will or might not wish to go. If guys are having time — and also you’re getting paid anyway — then you’ll be able to return to highschool and get one other yr of improvement below your belt, receives a commission, be extra acquainted with the system. That is one of many issues I missed as a result of I used to be one-and-done, so I by no means actually bought a deal with on school or the school life. If a man’s adequate, or a woman is sweet sufficient to go for 2 years or return in the event that they wish to, I feel that is fairly cool.
Q: Johni Broome, you would possibly see a few of your self in his recreation. What do you consider how he performs?
Bosh: It is so fascinating to see how a lot the sport has opened up. The power to deal with the ball, play within the open ground, the liberty to do these issues … to shoot the three. I feel Johni … particularly, they’re profiting from that freedom, proper? Having the ability to are available in with a developed recreation and have the ability to show it. Earlier than, even when you may shoot 3s, you’d have a coach be like, ‘Yeah, you are not going to shoot 3s. I’ll bench you.’ They did not essentially play to their strengths. I see quite a lot of that within the youthful technology in the present day. They’re in a position to are available in immediately, play to their strengths, do the issues they will do and the system can construct round them, versus you making an attempt to adapt your recreation to a different coach or one other crew.
Q: You have been one of many [few] that might try this within the NBA at a excessive stage, so how do you assume you have been in a position to set the desk for extra folks at your place — like Broome — to have the liberty to shoot from deep?
Bosh: I feel it was not solely doing it however being efficient at it. I at all times checked out guys like Sam Perkins, Cliff Robinson, Tony Kukoc, Dirk Nowitzki — simply taking place the road of nice gamers that performed the massive place — shot the three. I am certain they have a look at the sport now and say, ‘I ought to have been capturing 5 or 6 a recreation.’ I have a look at it like that, too. On the tail finish of my profession, I used to be seeing how the 3-ball was actually evolving the sport, and I simply wished to solidify myself a bit extra in that dialog. I did not get an opportunity to do all of it the best way, however you could possibly see the wave coming. So, for gamers like Johni now, for him to simply are available in and simply be who he’s and play inside, play exterior, deal with it, do every part, that is an amazing factor.
Q: Was that ever a problem with you? Did you ever have coaches that attempted to carry you again from having a extra perimeter-based recreation?
Bosh: No, I used to be fortunate. Now, I did have coaches that stated, ‘Play to your strengths. We would like you to go down low.’ As a result of the sport was about that, proper?’ However I shot 40% from 3. It was one thing that was at all times there.
Q: Concerning Cooper Flagg, what do you assume the strain of that’s like — being a one-and-done your self?
Bosh: He has much more strain to take care of as a result of I used to be carried out already. My strain transferred. I needed to fear about signing with brokers. He nonetheless has the reward — and the curse — of enjoying basketball proper now on the largest stage, however that is what you need. For him, he can keep within the zone … till this season is over, however as soon as it is over, he will begin that technique of interviewing with groups, having his exercises, the pre-draft, all these issues you need to undergo. … I used to be in the identical boat. You are going to play on your third crew in three years; you are going to have your third coach in three years; you are going to transfer to a brand new place once more for the third time in three years. It is coming at him quick, however that is what occurs once you’re a grown-up. It comes at you quick, and also you [have] bought to adapt.
Q: How do you attempt to keep within the second?
Bosh: It forces you to. … You haven’t any selection however to … as a result of, even within the draft, he is most likely going to the No. 1 crew, however you by no means know what is going on to occur with the lottery and all that. So, it is sort of simply small steps. It forces you to remain within the current as a result of you do not know what is going on to occur the following day or the following week.
Q: Lastly, what are you considering on your picks for this upcoming weekend?
Bosh: I am not going to lie, it is actual arduous to not go together with Duke. It is such a basic, blue-blooded Remaining 4. I do know the old-school Houston, Phi Slamma Jama dudes with the Jheri curls, they’ll be popping out in droves. It is sort of arduous to not go for Houston, man, they deserve one. Coach Sampson, I feel he was teaching in school after I was getting recruited, so I would like to see them get one. You already know, Florida is at all times robust and in it. Auburn, they’re turning their program into one thing, so you recognize I assume if I have been to select one, I’m going for Houston.
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