Years after blood clots forced him into an early retirement, Chris Bosh says the health battle he thought was behind him nearly turned deadly all over again.
The Basketball Hall of Famer revealed that he suffered another pulmonary embolism earlier this year, describing a frightening medical emergency that landed him in the hospital for a week and reminded him that his condition requires lifelong management.
Speaking with HoopsHype, Bosh did not sugarcoat what happened.
“I almost dropped dead pretty much and came back to life. I’m not joking.”
The former Miami Heat star explained that he experienced the medical emergency in January after unexpectedly passing out in his bathroom. He was hospitalized for a week following the incident and says the scare completely changed how he approaches his health.
Bosh admitted the experience reinforced one lesson above everything else.
“Take your medicine.”
He said the episode served as a painful reminder that even when symptoms disappear, the underlying condition does not.
“Yeah, I had an episode in January. I almost dropped dead pretty much and came back to life. I’m not joking. Yeah. I had another pulmonary embolism. It was in January. Yeah, yeah, this past year. I was in the hospital for a week.”
Bosh added that he wasn’t experiencing any warning signs before collapsing, making the ordeal even more alarming.
“So, I’m taking my medicine every day, taking care of myself every day, and watching it. So, I mean, no symptoms came either, you know, so.”
For Bosh, this wasn’t his first battle with dangerous blood clots. During the final years of his NBA career, recurring clotting issues forced him away from the game despite his desire to continue playing. Doctors ultimately determined the risks of returning to professional basketball outweighed any potential comeback, bringing one of the league’s most accomplished careers to an early end.
Looking back, Bosh admits he believed those difficult years were behind him.
“Yeah, you got to deal with it for the rest of your life. I thought I was past it. I am not. So, you know, it’s just making sure I stay on top of my regimen.”
Earlier this year, Bosh also shared more details about what happened the night everything changed. He said he was getting ready for a date with his wife when he suddenly felt numbness shoot down one of his legs before losing consciousness. When he woke up, he was lying in a pool of blood while emergency responders rushed him to the hospital after his wife called 911.
Reflecting on the experience months later, Bosh wrote:
“After coming back from the darkness, there was no euphoric clarity. No life montage flashing before my eyes. No voice in my ear telling me it’ll be ok and what to do next. Just the gratitude for still being alive, and a newfound, sobering awareness of how everything actually is.”
He continued:
“What did change was an immediate outlook on life that was simpler and more honest.”
A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot, often originating in the leg as a deep vein thrombosis, travels to the lungs and blocks blood flow. The condition is considered a medical emergency and can quickly become fatal without treatment. Symptoms may include sudden shortness of breath, chest pain, rapid heartbeat, dizziness, coughing up blood, or fainting, although some people experience few or no warning signs before a serious event. According to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, pulmonary embolisms contribute to tens of thousands of deaths in the United States each year.
Bosh’s story also shines a light on a broader health disparity. Research has consistently found that Black Americans experience higher rates of pulmonary embolism and related deaths than other racial groups, though experts say the reasons are likely tied to a complex mix of healthcare access, underlying medical conditions, socioeconomic factors, and other risk factors rather than race itself. The American Heart Association recently noted that Black patients experience higher incidence rates and often face worse outcomes following pulmonary embolisms.
Professional athletes are not immune to the condition either. In recent years, several high-profile athletes have publicly battled dangerous blood clots, including NBA stars Damian Lillard and Victor Wembanyama, tennis legend Serena Williams, and NHL defenseman Zdeno Chára. Cardiologists note that athletes are not inherently more likely to develop blood clots than the general population, but long-distance travel, surgery, injury, genetics, and other medical factors can increase the risk.
Selected fourth overall in the celebrated 2003 NBA Draft, Bosh built a Hall of Fame career with the Toronto Raptors before helping lead the Miami Heat to two NBA championships alongside LeBron James and Dwyane Wade. His No. 1 jersey now hangs in the rafters in Miami, but these days, Bosh says the biggest victory isn’t measured in championships.
It’s simply being alive.
