Chris Bosh plays in Goran Dragic farewell game, talks forced retirement, Europe

For the first time since 2016, Chris Bosh graced a basketball court once more.

The Hall of Fame forward made his way to Ljubljana, Slovenia, to partake in Goran Dragic’s farewell game—Bosh and Dragic once shared the court as teammates in Miami. During the event, Bosh engaged in conversation with Mindaugas Bertys of BasketNews, delving into various topics, including his untimely retirement at the age of 31, brought on by a blood clot condition.

“It was incredibly challenging. It truly marked the end of my career. Anytime you face loss or the end of something significant, there’s a grieving process. I had to navigate that for a few years. Eventually, I moved beyond it. I believe it strengthened me. It pushed me to concentrate more on being a father.”

Bosh revealed that Euroleague teams had extended offers for him to continue his career overseas, but he wasn’t in the right mindset to pursue those opportunities.

“I wasn’t ready to uproot my family and relocate. I had young children at the time. I took it as a sign to move forward. But yes, I received a few offers—not from Greece, but from Spain and France, in the EuroLeague.”

Bosh’s initial trip to Serbia wasn’t to play but to support his former teammate Dragic. However, when he noticed his old Raptors teammate Rasho Nesterovic on the court, he felt compelled to join in. It was heartening to see an often-underappreciated big man, a key player in the Heat’s LeBron-era championships, back in action.