Yahoo Sports Former NBA star Chris Bosh on pursuing music after basketball: ‘Do things that you love doing’
Chris Bosh propelled his way into NBA history, winning back-to-back championships with the Miami Heat.
But these days, you’re more likely to find him inside a music studio than on the court, chipping away at a passion that began with the sudden and heartbreaking end to his basketball career in 2016.
“Frankly, I was looking for something else outside of basketball. I had never really thought about that or even given it time because I was so consumed with being great with my craft, which was basketball,” Bosh told Yahoo Finance. “Finding something else and really falling into it and taking a deep dive has been great.”
With the release of his first single, “I Want It All,” produced in collaboration with Texas-based artist Deezie Brown, Bosh is looking to chart a different post-NBA path than many of his former teammates. While those his former teammates Dwyane Wade and Shaquille O’Neal have also dabbled in rap, Bosh says he intends to remain a producer largely behind the scenes, instead of a front-facing musician. He’s also largely shied away from investing in startups, particularly in tech.
“We’re taking a more focused approach,” Bosh said. “My biggest thing is working with artists like Deezie Brown, getting the message out there [through music], and start moving forward.”
Bosh’s journey to music has been a long one. Since a blood condition forced him to retire from the NBA unexpectedly in 2016, he has spoken openly about his struggles to “reinvent” himself, after a life spent devoted to basketball.
“I always read these self-help books. I'm an avid book reader and I read all of these books a while back, and they would always say follow your heart. You have to do things that you love doing. It has to speak to you,” Bosh said. “The next thing I knew, I was talking to musicians and I had a guitar in my hand trying to take lessons...I started meeting great people, producers, songwriters, engineers, scientists. Great, great people that just took me in.”
While that passion has kept Bosh busy, away from the basketball court, he remains deeply involved with the NBA and its commitment to social justice. Earlier this year, he joined a group of former athletes that successfully advocated for the NCAA to prohibit Division 1 student-athletes from practicing or competing on Election Day, in order to give them time to vote at polling sites.
“We want to make sure that, one, the education continues, and two, that people are aware of what they can do,” Bosh said. “I think that would be [considered a] success, enabling people to understand their rights as a citizen, and try to get more into it. I think that's the biggest, biggest success that could be had with this.”
Akiko Fujita is an anchor and reporter for Yahoo Finance. Follow her on Twitter @AkikoFujita