Letters to a Young Athlete

April 26, 2021
NBA All-Star Bosh’s good intentions aren’t enough to salvage his slack debut, a collection of short essays meant to impart life lessons to youthful athletes. He sets his goal in his introduction: to help readers take the right path in life, “the one that helps you get the most out of yourself, out of your potential, out of this game—whatever that game is for you.” Bosh, whose impressive career was prematurely ended by a “surprise blood clot” in 2016, is undoubtedly sincere about wanting to share his hard-won wisdom, but many of his insights are less than profound, as evidenced by such blandly titled chapters as “Leaders Lead,” “Take Care of Yourself,” and “Communication Is Key.” Readers unaware of exactly how grueling professional sports can be will be enlightened by stories of his time on the court, as will those needing to learn that skills alone won’t guarantee success. However, his advice is often general (“Leaders pick their teammates up when things get hard”) and he curiously relegates the importance of mental health to a single footnote. Even flashbacks of pivotal moments from his playing career—like setting up a “perfect pass” with LeBron James—feel glib in his flat delivery. Nothing here distinguishes this from similar volumes.