After holding his own at the center position during the Miami Heat's title run last season, forward Chris Bosh is willing to take on the role as the Heat's big man in the middle.
"It's [the center position] becoming natural to me," Bosh told ESPN.com on Thursday. "I have a very unique opportunity to do something very special for myself and my team. I think all the time that you have to evolve and get better. This is me evolving as a player."
Bosh essentially manned the center role in the playoffs, playing next to forwards Udonis Haslem or Shane Battier as opposed to centers Joel Anthony or Ronny Turiaf in each of his nine postseason starts.
"It kept happening," Bosh said. "It's been happening since my rookie year. When I signed in Miami, I said, 'That's it. No more 5!' Next thing I know, I'm there again.
"And the coaches, I was just listening to what they were saying. They said, 'We're a much better team with you at the 5.' I said, 'Well ... OK.' Next thing I know we win a championship. It's like, 'Well. I've done myself a great service. And I'm gonna be at the center.' There's really no debating that. I just accept it and see how I can get better at it."
After his time with the Toronto Raptors, Bosh admits he was reluctant to make the change. Teammate LeBron James also initially shied away from playing down low, but became more open to other roles as the season progressed, earning the nickname "1-through-5" from Heat coach Erik Spoelstra for his ability to guard each position.
