NBA Draft History: Top Four 4th Overall Picks
By William Lee
January 11, 2015; Los Angeles, CA, USA; Miami Heat center Chris Bosh (1) shoots a basket against the Los Angeles Clippers during the first half at Staples Center. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
Chris Bosh
Chris Bosh was drafted by the Toronto Raptors in 2003 and subsequently became the All-Time leader in almost every statistical category for the franchise. Bosh is arguably the greatest Raptor of all time despite bolting to Miami to form the “Big Three” after seven seasons in Toronto. Maybe Vince Carter would be the one Raptor you put over Bosh, but it is 1-A and 1-B. You can make cases for both to hold the title of best Raptor ever.
Despite a slow start to the 2006-2007 season, opening up the season 2-8, Bosh helped the Raptors finish strong. Bosh led a huge turnaround in the season, leading Toronto to their first ever division title in franchise history. Although the good times in Toronto soon came to an end, racking up stats for a .500 team the next season and sub-.500 teams the following two season afterwards.
In the summer of 2010, Bosh along with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade formed the “Big Three”. After a rocky 9-8 start to the season, the Heat went on a tear midseason, going 21-1 during that span. Miami trampled the Eastern Conference, defeating every team in five games before being upset by the Dallas Mavericks in six games in the NBA Finals.
After the disappointing first season under the formation of the “Big Three”, the Heat would go on to capture consecutive NBA Champions in 2012 and 2013. Miami easily dispatched the Oklahoma City Thunder in five games to win the franchise’s second NBA Championship in the lockout shortened 2012 season.
Bosh in particular was crucial to the win over the San Antonio Spurs in 2013. Everyone remembers Ray Allen’s game tying three in regulation of game six but if Bosh never grabbed the offensive rebound, there would not been an opportunity for the game tying three. Bosh would then go on to make the decisive defensive play to ensure a game seven, where they would go on to eventually defeat the Spurs and win the Championship.
The following season Miami would meet San Antonio again in the NBA Finals but this time around the Spurs decisively defeated the Heat in five games to win the NBA Championship. LeBron effectively ended the “Big Three” era in Miami when he wrote his SI Letter and returned home to Cleveland that summer. During the four year run of the “Big Three”, Miami compiled a 224-88 record, with a winning percentage of 71.8%. The Heat made the NBA Finals in four consecutive years, winning two straight NBA Championships.
With James departure and Wade’s constant nagging injuries, Bosh returned to his Raptor days, scoring over 20+ points per game. Unfortunately Bosh’s season came to an abrupt end with a life threatening blood clot discovered shortly after the All-Star Game.
List of Achievements
- 2× NBA champion (2012–2013)
- 10× NBA All-Star (2006–2015)
- All-NBA Second Team (2007)
- NBA All-Rookie First Team (2004)
- Third-youngest player in NBA history to record 1,000 rebounds
- Fourth-youngest player in NBA history to record 20 points and 20 rebounds in a game
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in minutes played
- Toronto’s first player to achieve 10,000 points
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in points scored
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in rebounds
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in defensive rebounds
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in offensive rebounds
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in rebounds per game
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in rebounds per game in a season
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in blocks
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in free throws made
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in free throws made in a season
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in free throws attempted
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in free throws attempted in a season
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in double-doubles
- Toronto’s All-Time leader in double-doubles in a season
Next: No. 2 Greatest 4th Overall Pick