Chris Bosh out for season with blood clots in lungs
Miami Heat All-Star Chris Bosh has been declared out for the rest of the NBA season with blood clots in his lungs. The Heat announced his status on Saturday. Bosh had complained of discomfort at All-Star Weekend in New York and was admitted to a Miami-area hospital on Thursday for a series of lung tests.
The Heat’s official statement said Bosh is currently resting comfortably and that his prognosis is good. Head coach Erik Spoelstra had said earlier Friday that Bosh’s condition was not life-threatening. The 10-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion received a number of well wishes from teammates, former teammates, and friends from around the league.
Joseph Goodman of the Miami Herald reported Thursday that Bosh had complained of abdominal pain at All-Star Weekend, where he won the Shooting Stars event for the third consecutive year and played 11 minutes for the East in Sunday’s main event. After the weekend, Bosh and his family joined teammate Dwyane Wade and his wife Gabrielle Union for a short vacation to Haiti. He rejoined the Heat for practice on Wednesday but was held out and visited a doctor.
Several other NBA players have dealt with blood clots in their lungs in recent years. Brooklyn Nets forward Mirza Teletovic was diagnosed with the condition in late January and will miss the rest of the season before becoming a restricted free agent this summer. Longtime Cleveland Cavaliers big man Anderson Varejao discovered his own blood clots in January 2013 and missed the rest of that season, only to return the following season in good health. Despite these fortunate examples, the condition is often serious and life-threatening when undiscovered. Retired Portland Trail Blazers legend Jerome Kersey died just this past Wednesday after a blood clot traveled into his lung after a fairly routine knee surgery.
Bosh’s diagnosis comes just one day after the Heat obtained point guard Goran Dragic in a deadline-day deal with the Phoenix Suns. The acquisition of Dragic had appeared to turn Miami from a fringe playoff team into a potential East contender, but the loss of Bosh figures to pose a serious challenge to those aspirations. Yet Bosh’s condition affects much more than the Heat’s position in the standings, and the franchise has correctly kept matters focused on his long-term health.
