THE CANADIAN PRESS
BEIJING — Before Chris Bosh settled in to speak to reporters, he flipped out his cellphone, stood on his tip-toes and shot video of a crush of media that surrounded teammate Kobe Bryant, obliterating the Los Angeles Lakers star from view.
"I want to get a picture of it because it’s amazing," Bosh marvelled.
Bosh has seen his fair share of fan frenzy as an NBA all-star, but the 24-year-old Toronto Raptors forward said it’s nothing compared to the near-hysteria that’s surrounded his U.S. basketball team since it touched down in Beijing.
"It’s crazy. We’re always together as a team, and just to see their reaction, it’s amazing. Just people’s reaction to Kobe alone is crazy… I have to walk the other way," Bosh said, laughing.
A weary-looking Bosh rubbed the sleep out of his eyes as he answered questions at a jam-packed U.S. basketball team news conference Friday.
It’s been near pandemonium for the American players — especially Bryant — since their arrival here earlier in the week.
"Sheer excitement," Bosh said. "I saw a guy, I think Kobe gave him an autograph, he took off running and laughing and jumping and stuff. I thought, that must have been pretty special to him, he went off to tell his friends about it."
A swarm of Chinese Olympic volunteers, most of them female, trailed the Lakers guard out of Friday’s news conference, some clamouring for autographs, others near tears. Earlier in the week, dozens of fans staked out the airport for hours to see their basketball heroes, climbing a spiked fence to get a better view.
Bosh admitted the crazy crowds and rigid schedule have been a bit of an adjustment, but he’s taking the time to soak it all in before the U.S. opens the Olympic tournament Sunday night in a highly-anticipated matchup against China. Even U.S. President George W. Bush is scheduled to be in attendance.
"It will probably be the most-watched game in sports history," said Utah Jazz guard Deron Williams.
There are a few athletes Bosh would like to meet while he’s here.
"Probably one of the Williams sisters, I’ve never met them before. Couple of track stars, (U.S. 400-metre runner) Jeremy Wariner, I’ve never met him before and he’s a Texas guy and everything," Bosh said. "It’s funny I ran into (U.S. swimmer) Michael Phelps and I got a chance to meet him and I was like, `Can I have a picture with you?’ He thought that was funny. He said, `I should ask you for a picture."’
The Americans have been dubbed the "Redeem Team" in their quest to get back on top of the podium. Bosh was eight when Michael Jordan and Magic Johnson led the Dream Team to victory at the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.
"I remember watching the games, I don’t know who they were playing but I remember it was not even close," Bosh said. "That was the greatest team ever assembled, everybody knows that."
The Raptors captain wasn’t on the team that had to settle for bronze at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, but did play on the squad that finished third two years later at the world championships.
"I think we all know what’s riding on this, and we all want to win," Bosh said. "First and foremost, we want to win whether we won the last however many international tournaments. We want to win, period."
Of the teams that could stand in the way on the Americans’ road to gold, Bosh said Spain, led by Raptors teammate Jose Calderon, is at the top of the list.
"They’re experienced, they feel that it’s their year," Bosh said. "Ever since 2002, they’ve been emerging, they’ve been playing together and they’ve been talking about the same things. I know this because I talk to Jose and he says they’re playing their best basketball right now.
"I think they’re the best team — besides us, of course."
The Americans face Spain on Aug. 16. Angola and Greece are also in their pool.
The Raptors have more players in the Olympic tournament than any other NBA team, with Bosh, Calderon, Roko Ukic of Croatia and Giorgos Printezis of Greece (whose rights are held by Toronto).
In between games, Bosh plans to get out and see some of the sights of the Games.
"Track and field, boxing, swimming, all the venues," said Bosh, whose mom Frieda and brother Joel arrive in town later this week. "This only happens once every four years and I’ll never see it happen again in Beijing. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity so I don’t want to be cramped up in my room.
"I know that we have a goal in mind and I will make sure I keep that in mind when I’m out there having fun but I’ll get my rest and drink lots of water."
Bosh, who’s become a bit of a YouTube sensation since his video plea to send him to the NBA all-star game, said he’s also working on a video on his experiences in Beijing.
"I have something brewing. It has to be done," Bosh said with a chuckle. "It still has a lot of work to be done so hopefully by tonight or tomorrow it’ll be done.
"There’s only so much I can do because of copyright. Hopefully it will be going up soon."
Whether or not Bosh and his teammates return from Beijing draped in gold, the Raptors star said he won’t go home empty-handed — the people he’s met and the experiences he’s had are worth the trip alone.
Bosh and the American squad had a chance to sit down Friday morning and chat with Lopez Lomong, the 1,500-metre runner who was named the U.S. flag-bearer for the opening ceremonies. Lomong was born in Sudan and only became a U.S. citizen in July of 2007 after being kidnapped aged six and spending 10 years in a refugee camp.
"Some things are bigger than sports," Bosh said. "When you think you’ve gone through something, and you’re having troubles in your life and everything, there’s always somebody in a much worse position.
"This isn’t about winning, of course we’d all love to win and everything, but this is about representing your country, having pride in just being here and competing against the world."
