MORE EXPOSURE

Toronto, which entered the NBA in 1995 with the Vancouver Grizzlies (now the Memphis Grizzlies), has lost a handful of high-profile players who felt a U.S.-based team offered more exposure and a shot at a championship.

But of the several big-name Toronto players who took the same path before Bosh, none have yet enjoyed much team success and perhaps could have built a contender had they remained with the NBA's only Canadian team.

Cousins Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady were high-flying Raptor team mates who led the team to their first post-season appearance in 2000, but both eventually wanted out of Toronto.

McGrady, who forced a sign-and-trade to Orlando in 2000, became a seven-time All-Star and won two scoring titles but has still not played beyond the first round of the playoffs.

Things also turned sour with Carter, who demanded a trade in 2004 because he was reportedly not happy with the direction of the struggling Raptors team.

Carter, once the face of the Raptors franchise given his scoring touch and dunking prowess, is no longer an All-Star and has yet to play in an NBA Final.

Once Carter was traded, the Raptors decided to rebuild around Bosh, who was the team's lottery pick in a rich 2003 NBA Draft that included James, Wade and Carmelo Anthony.

Even Damon Stoudamire, the expansion Raptors' first draft pick in 1995, won NBA Rookie of the Year honours but demanded a trade partway through a third straight losing season.

Stoudamire, now an assistant coach with Memphis, went on to play in one Western Conference final with the Portland Trail Blazers before his career fizzled.

But none of these career paths seem to concern Bosh, who feels the Heat, which Wade led to a championship in 2006, will be an NBA title contender for years to come.

"That's the whole reason I made my choice," said Bosh, who has only 11 playoff games under his belt in two first-round losses with the Raptors.

"It was the best situation for me and my family of course. And you need a team situation to win a championship and that was my whole purpose for making my decision."