The Miami Heat fans have never truly forgotten the unforgettable “Big Three” era featuring LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Together, the trio elevated the franchise into a powerhouse. In four seasons side by side, they reached the NBA Finals each year and captured two championships.
However, that remarkable stretch ended in 2014 when James decided to leave Miami. The announcement stunned fans and even Bosh himself. During an appearance on All the Smoke, Bosh revealed that he learned about James’ departure through a text message just 10 minutes before the news became public.
“I thought it was BS. 10 minutes later it was everywhere,” Bosh said. “I get it but at the time I didn’t understand it. At the time I was ready to put the team back together cause we had just lost so we wanted to put something back together so we could win. And it really didn’t go like that. I took offense to it tbh.
“I’m a competitor and tbh when you go back to the locker room and Bron ain’t in that chair and everybody is looking at you and D Wade for that 25 points it’s like damn, man. Sh*t my knee hurts. I was upset it took months to get over it. We had to be in the same place and talk about it. We had to get back to a mode of not rebuilding but getting more out of ourselves and not always having that easy thing relying on 6 to do his job.”
Now in his 23rd NBA season, James continues to compete at the highest level, while Bosh and Wade are enjoying retirement. Since leaving Miami, James has won championships with the Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. Still, the run the trio shared in Miami remains one of the most iconic chapters in NBA history.
Chris Bosh Wanted to Prove He Could Win Without LeBron James
On the podcast, Bosh also expressed confidence that Miami could have remained in championship contention before blood clots sidelined him. He believed the team had the pieces to compete at a high level.
“We had a squad man I felt not to say we were gonna win it all but we could’ve competed for a championship,” Bosh said. “I wanted to establish myself in the record books, I wanted to establish myself with LeBron tbh with you. We wanted to win without him tbh. It’s something to say Shaq won without Kobe, Kobe won without Shaq.
“I wanted to put myself in that category and on that pedestal. I wanted to help D Wade get back to that status as well. I felt really good about our team. We were in 2nd or 3rd place. Sh*t if we get to the ECF, let’s play some ball. I’m not worried about it at all. We were very confident but it just wasn’t meant to be.”
Bosh enjoyed a stellar six-season tenure in Miami, earning All-Star honors every year during that stretch. Unfortunately, recurring blood clot complications ultimately forced him to step away from the game in 2016.
