Michael Wallace, ESPN Staff Writer 9y

Heat's Bosh adjusting post-LeBron

MIAMI -- Trying to replace the 27 points, eight rebounds and seven assists LeBron James averaged during his four seasons in Miami already stood as a daunting enough challenge for the Heat.

Filling the four-time league MVP’s vocal leadership void is proving to be just as difficult for the Heat player who now commands the primary role in the offense as well as the team’s biggest contract.

Heat center Chris Bosh said Monday that in addition to adjusting aspects of his game entering the season, he’s also had to tweak major parts of his personality to effectively smooth the franchise’s transition into life after LeBron. Stepping up his production likely won’t be a problem for Bosh.

But speaking up more along the way? Well, that’s another ordeal altogether.

“It’s a challenge. I can’t duplicate what he did,” Bosh said of rallying the Heat around his voice the way LeBron has the past four seasons. “He’s a great leader. Guys followed him easily. And I’m trying to put my own spin on it and bring my own personality to it. That’s been a difficult journey for me, but I’m learning every day. I’m trying to make sure I personally talk to guys all the time and just take pointers from other people and see how I can bring all that to the table.”

Bosh quickly moved to the forefront of the Heat’s rebuilding process. Just hours after LeBron announced in July he was heading back to Cleveland in free agency, Bosh agreed to a five-year contract worth nearly $120 million to remain in Miami as the Heat’s building block for the present and future.

The Heat also brought back Dwyane Wade on a two-year, $33 million deal. Bosh and Wade each had a strong voice in how the Heat operated on and off the court in recent seasons. But even they fell in line beyond LeBron, who guided Miami to two championships in four consecutive trips to the Finals.

Along the way, there were plenty of moments when LeBron drew attention for the way he communicated with his teammates -- from yelling at point guard Mario Chalmers during games to leading teammates through a viral Harlem Shake video in the locker room.

While James’ style is louder and more demanding, Bosh is more laid-back and cerebral in his leadership approach. Still, there were moments when Bosh didn’t hesitate to be brutally honest and aggressively communicate with teammates in the past. It just wasn’t always a comfortable process.

“Naturally, no,” Bosh said after Monday’s practice as the Heat prepared for Wednesday’s season opener against the Washington Wizards. “It’s easier for me [to lead by example]. I like spending time by myself. [I have to] force myself to talk every day. It’s not easy. It’s something I will always work on. My wife pushes me every day to work on that stuff, so there’s no hiding for me. I might as well just get it over with and talk and be social. I’m comfortable doing it.”

It wasn’t just LeBron who left the Heat’s leadership circle. Miami’s overhaul also included the departures of veterans in Ray Allen, Shane Battier, Rashard Lewis and James Jones. That has left Bosh and Wade to pick up the slack along with other long-term roster holdovers in Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers.

Bosh insists he’s not nervous or overwhelmed with the transition.

“I don’t do anxiety much anymore,” he said. “I just make sure I do enough to carry the responsibility.”

It’s a heavier load on multiple fronts.

But it’s less about what Bosh says, and more about what the Heat show as a collective unit.

“It doesn’t matter what we say ... in other people’s perception, we’ll be an underdog,” Bosh said of expectations facing the post-LeBron Heat in the East pecking order. “But for us, we’re trying to be an elite team. It’s going to take work. On paper, [other teams are] ahead. Chemistry-wise, I think Chicago is ahead. Talent-wise, Cleveland is ahead. But, you know, we have what it takes here. We have a chance.”

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