'He does play a lot like KG' - How his teammates viewed a young Chris Bosh

Most NBA fans remember Chris Bosh as the third star of the "Big Three" Miami Heat. CB4 made his legacy in South Beach by winning two rings, but before becoming a third wheel to LeBron James and Dwyane Wade, the 6'11" power forward was projected to be a superstar.

Drafted by the Toronto Raptors, Bosh spent seven seasons in Canada and established himself as one of the best power forwards in the NBA. From his early days, it was apparent Chris was one of the most versatile fours in the Association, and his teammate in the frontcourt, center Rasho Nesterovic, flatteringly compared him to Kevin Garnett.

"He does play a lot like KG. Put a small guy on him and he posts up, put a big guy on him and he goes outside. He's a good fit for the team we're trying to build here," Rasho explained.

Stretch big ahead of his time

The game Bosh presented was something the NBA wasn't used to. A near 7-footer with the quickness of a guard, silky jumper of a sharpshooter, and low-block game that could punish smaller defenders. Chris would become a perennial All-Star by his third season and the undisputed #1 of the Raptors. His coach, Sam Mitchell, was in awe of the Dallas native.

"Have you ever seen a 6'10'', 6'11'' lefty who can go to the basket like him? I know I haven't. I can't recall there ever being a player of his size that is so quick. Not one," Mitchell exclaimed.

At his peak, Bosh averaged 24.0 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 2.4 assists per game for Toronto, but it was never enough to propel the Raps to championship contention. Without the proper supporting cast around him, CB4 opted to join D-Wade and LBJ in Miami and choose the career path of a supporting star instead of the leader he was projected to be.

Two personalities

Off the court, Bosh was known for his relaxed and comedic personality, often trying to make people around him laugh. However, when Chris stepped in between those lines, the Georgie Tech product would change his demeanor and put on his serious face.

"On the court, there's sort of a personality transformation. It gives me a chance to kind of let loose. Some guys take it so serious, but you can tell that I'm having fun," he explained.

Ultimately, Bosh may not have become the new KG, but he still built a pretty impressive legacy. Two championships, 11 All-Star appearances, and one All-NBA team nod speak for themselves, but maybe it's unfortunate we couldn't have seen CB4 build an even more impressive career if they had stayed with the Raptors.