Chris Bosh – is he the next KG or Shareef Abdur-Rahim?

Chris Bosh is getting a lot of accolades lately for his improved play this year, even being named the midyear most improved player by ESPN, and deservedly so. He’s improved all aspects of his offensive game, including his field goal shooting, free throw shooting, passing, ball-handling, and even his one-on-one and help defense has gotten better in flashes. Bosh should be an all-star this year. I don’t think anyone can dispute that. But even Shareef Abdur-Rahim was an all-star… how good is Bosh?

Well, before I go on, let me preface this by making it clear that Bosh is only 22. This guy is so good at such a young age it’s ridiculous. If he continues to improve at the rate he has been, Bosh will be one of the top five players in the league in three years time. But the big question is will he improve? And where does he need the improvement?

Let’s look at his game:

Offence:
Bosh is a much improved offensive player, shooting 50% this year. He can make a 17 foot jumper with ease, can make turnarounds, fadeaways, and little runners. Chris has improved his post up game, and can post on both the left and right blocks. Chris is a smart offensive player when he’s in a groove. He has become great at making decisions of when to drive and when to shoot. His real improvement has been in his ability to draw fouls. He is one of the top ten players in the league at drawing fouls, and given he has improved his free throw shooting to 82%, this has resulted in a much more efficient offensive game.

Chris needs to learn how to set better picks in the offensive sets, and to be more active on the offensive boards. Chris should try to add a new shot to his repertoire during each off-season. A bank shot (a la Tim Duncan) would be a valuable addition at this point. Chris also needs to demand the ball a bit more. One of his glaring weaknesses is his propensity to shoot the ball a lot less at the end of games, almost disappearing at times (a la Abdur-Rahim). Bosh takes 11 fewer shots (per 48 mins) during the last 5 minutes of close games (games within 5 points) than during the rest of the game (stats courtesy of 82games.com), which leads the league. At the same time, when he actually does get the ball, he leads the league in being able to get the 3 point play (basket + foul) during the same time period. What does that mean? It means he could be a great clutch player, but he needs to prove it. Bosh has a tendency to let Jalen Rose or Mike James take the wining shot. Bosh should be the one to carry the team most of the time, and defer to the guards only when necessary. Bosh needs to assert himself as the man. Chris also has problems against bigger (thicker) players that are quick – guys like Kenyon Martin, Mehmet Okur, Shawn Marion, and against notorious shotblockers like Dikembe Mutombo, Joel Pryzabella, or Marcus Camby. This is where bank shots, or power dunks would be good moves. Show no fear, and make them respect the shot/drive.

Overall, offensively, Bosh is a clear star, but he needs to keep improving so that he’ll be seen more like KG in the future than Shareef.

Defence:
Bosh’s defence at times has been very good this year, and at others, quite horrible, but it’s gotten better overall. Bosh is a good help defender. He has good length and has started blocking shots on a more consistent basis after a slower start this year. Bosh barks out defensive orders sometimes, which is good as well, but he sometimes doesn’t listen to his own barking. When he goes to help, it is often his man that scores the opposing basket, as he is either too late on the switch, or he doesn’t let his fellow defenders know that he is doing the switch. Against shorter players, he has shown much improved defense, as he is able to use his length to contest shots, and his speed and quickness to prevent the uncontested drive.

Bosh is not a good one-on-one defender, particularly against those same quicker guys, or the big bruiser forwards/centers in the league. This is where Hoffa actually is valuable, since no one else on the team can defend those types. Bosh has quick feet, but needs to work on his lower-body strength. He is a poor post defender, as occasionally he’ll get bullied and at other times, he’ll get beaten despite his quickness and length. Gene Keady should hopefully help in these areas.

Bosh will need to work hard at his defense, particularly considering how bad the rest of his team is at interior AND perimeter defense. He doesn’t have to be a defensive star on every possession, but he will need to be able to step it up when he needs to, particularly if he ever wants to succeed come playoffs (if they ever get back there).

Overall:
This guy is a true professional on and off the court. Doesn’t do anything politically wrong, and keeps his mouth shut when he should. He’s getting a rep as a whiner though with the refs, barking after every call, but the good thing is that he’ll say his piece or make his grunt, and move on… he won’t dwell on the call (well, last night was an exception to that though). Bosh is a guy you can really build around. With one good consistent perimeter guard, a slashing small forward and a good big defensive center, Bosh will be much more effective. Bosh is an All-Star. This blog is just trying to push him to be the superstar.