Chris Bosh fully cleared for all basketball activities following blood clot scare

Seven months after being shut down for the season due to blood clots on his lung and just a few days ahead of training camp, Chris Bosh is fully cleared for all basketball activities.

"I am released and ready for contact," Bosh said at a news conference Thursday. "I'm happy to be back in the public eyes in a basketball capacity. Happy to be doing what I was born to do."

Bosh reportedly resumed on-court activity in early June, but head coach Erik Spoelstra wouldn't speak with complete certainty about his status for camp as recently as Wednesday. No longer on blood thinners to deal with the clot, Bosh has been given a full clearance for any and all training camp activities.

With the time off, Bosh has added weight, tipping the scales in the 240-245-pound range instead of his usual 235. He's also done a great deal of growing off the court, gaining a "new outlook on life" and learning not to ignore potential health issues to stay on the court.

"I'm a lot smarter now," Bosh said. "I know about the precautions. It's been a great summer."

There remains a small chance that a clot could recur, which would require blood thinners for life and could put his career in jeopardy, but Bosh is not at high risk of recurrence.

In 44 games before the clots were discovered last season, Bosh averaged 21.1 points, seven rebounds, and 2.2 assists, shooting 46 percent from the floor and 37.5 percent from long range. The 31-year-old will enter his 13th season at full health, aiming to bring his Miami Heat back to the playoffs alongside a healthy tag-team partner in Dwyane Wade.