NBA: Chris Bosh Speaks on the Lockout, Heat Chemistry, & the Hate Being ‘Extra’

As the NBA lockout enters its third month and players are lining up to compete overseas, Miami Heat forward Chris Bosh has remained steadfast in keeping with his usual regimen stateside. Because, as he sees it, there will be a 2011-12 NBA season, no matter if these labor negotiations creep closer to the start of training camp with few signs of progress.  Bosh took the time to speak with SI.com about everything from his first year in South Beach with LeBron James and Dwyane Wade to the lockout and his plans for 2012.  Read more after the jump.

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SI.com: Well, talk about last season with the Heat: What was the biggest takeaway for you?

Bosh: I think the biggest thing was just the experience, the mistakes that I made as a player and as a person. I’m just trying my best to learn from that to make sure I’m a better player — the player that I need to be to make sure that we have the best chance of winning next year.

SI.com: Did you feel you guys had a good chemistry on the floor?

Bosh: Yeah, I think we had a good chemistry, but there’s only so much chemistry building you can do in a year. There are going to be struggles. You have to go through a lot of ups and downs to get there, and sometimes a year isn’t enough. It’s a long process, and I think people sometimes take that for granted. In today’s society, when the three of us got together, everyone just expected us to win.  Not the best talenton the court is going to win; the best team is going to win. So we didn’t have that chemistry, but it was as good as it could’ve been and we have to improve a lot more if we want to win.

SI.com: Would you say last season was a success?

Bosh: Well, what I tell people all the time is that it depends on what we do with that first season. If we never win, then yeah, last season was a failure. If we don’t win in upcoming years or if we do the same things over again, then yeah, last season will have been a failure because we won’t have grasped the lessons that we needed to have grasped.

SI.com: Do you feel the scrutiny you guys received was unfair?

Bosh: It was definitely unwanted. I think I speak for everyone when I say it was unwanted. It was a bit extra, absolutely. I think people just started throwing rocks just because that was the hot thing to do at the time. It is what it is, and it made us stronger. We survived it, so I feel if we can survive that, we’re definitely strong enough to overcome it.

SI.com: What’s one thing you’d like to change about the Miami Heat next season, if there is a season?

Bosh: Oh there will definitely be a season. I think just collectively, just stay on each other. That’s one thing we can improve on because that’s always the hardest thing to do, and that’s our next step, to just hold each other accountable. Whatever we say, it stays between the lines. We want to get better, so we should police each other.

SI.com: So you think there’s going to be a season. Do you think games will be canceled, at least?

Bosh: I’m not sure. I’m always optimistic. I feel we’re going to play every game, for one because I love playing, and two, because I think everyone else in the league loves playing it too. It’s bigger than business sometimes. Sports can be bigger than business. I’m just an optimistic kind of guy for my own reasons, but I think the game is at an all-time high right now and I think it’d be crazy for both sides not to want to resolve this and get to it.

SI.com: What are you doing to stay in basketball shape during the summer?

Bosh:  Playing basketball. I don’t really play too much pick-up or anything. I just follow my regimen.

SI.com: So no interest in that two-week league in Las Vegas that’s starting soon, the Impact League?

Bosh: I think it’s a cool thing, but it’s just not me. I think a lot of guys want to use that to their advantage, but it’s just not me. There are so many things that can happen. There are so many different obstacles, like insurance and if I get hurt, that I just stay away from those things. But for some guys, that’s good for them, and if they love doing it, then that’s great for them. But for me, I like to stay healthy.

SI.com: Guess that means you’re not interested in joining Deron Williams in Turkey, huh?

Bosh: Hah, no I won’t be joining him. He’s in training camp right now. Man, it sounded all good and all great, but boy, when the time comes and you have to put in that work, it’s like whoa. And I know they’re working over there, too.

SI.com: What about the 2012 Olympics — are you planning to play?

Bosh: Yeah, I’m looking forward to it. We got a good group, and I’m definitely going to make myself available to play.

Full Interview HERE