Bosh Claims Decision To Leave Toronto Came Late

After being called a quitter by Raptors general manager Bryan Colangelo, Chris Bosh says he always played hard for Toronto.

Bosh, who left for the Heat earlier this month, responded to allegations made by Colangelo on Toronto radio station FAN 590 that claimed the All-Star was "checked out" late last season and chose not to play some of the Raptors' final games.

"I play this game as hard as I can every time I step on the court," Bosh said. "On the back of my jersey it says 'Bosh' ... The Boshes are hard workers. We have a lot of pride in what we do, in our jobs and in life."

He also claimed his decision to leave Toronto came at the end of a long process and was not something he had committed to before the offseason.

"Everybody thinks, 'Oh, he was gone as soon as the season was over,' " he said. "It was the hardest decision I ever had to make. As different as another country is, it was still home for me. I had been there for seven years."