MIAMI — Chris Bosh stared at the supersized jersey as it slowly crept toward the rafters at AmericanAirlines Arena on Tuesday. Overcome with emotion, Bosh’s eyes welled until he lifted his hands, a championship ring on each one, to wipe away the tears.

For 12 minutes during halftime of the Heat’s 104-99 loss to the Magic, Bosh entertained the sold-out arena just like he entertained them for six years as a member of the Miami Heat.

He was funny. He was serious. He was emotional. He was reflective.

And in the end, he was Chris Bosh.

“I’m going to scream one more time and I want you to scream with me.” Bosh then circled the area of the court that included his family, Heat officials, Heat players, coach Erik Spoelstra and his staff, and let out one last whooping scream, the way he had after so many wins, so many big baskets, so many big rebounds.

“Tonight, my family name is up there, that’s something I used to get laughed at for dreaming of,” Bosh said.

Bosh becomes the fourth player in this franchise’s 31-year history to have his jersey retired. Bosh’s No. 1 will hang with Alonzo Mourning’s No. 33, Tim Hardaway’s No. 10 and Shaquille O’Neal’s No. 32. They will one day be joined by Nos. 3 (Dwyane Wade) and 6 (LeBron James).

But Tuesday was Bosh’s night, one that was as earned and deserved as any player in Heat history.

Bosh will forever be remembered for his offensive rebound in Game 6 of the 2013 NBA Finals that led to Ray Allen’s game-tying 3-pointer against the Spurs that sent the game to overtime. We all know what happened from there: Heat win Game 6 and Game 7, securing a second consecutive title for the Big Three.

And while Pat Riley called the rebound, assist and then Bosh’s block of Danny Green's 3-point attempt at the end of overtime “the biggest” in franchise history — and nobody can dispute that — Bosh went one step further.

“You guys may not know this but you gave my legs the extra spring, (you gave me) the spirit to keep my head in the game and grab the biggest rebound in NBA history,” he told the crowd.

Nobody had as much fun as Bosh on and off the basketball court. Always an outgoing, fun-loving and approachable guy, he could not stop smiling — and laughing at his own jokes — during his 20-minute meeting with the media and with each video tribute shown during the game.

“Things you know about Chris Bosh,” Wade told the crowd. “11-time All-Star, two-time champion, the greatest video bomber that ever lived. He wore his emotions on his sleeve every night.”

Ah, the video bombs. Bosh’s video and photo bombs were as much-watch television after Heat wins as his versatile game was during. Even Riley could not honor Bosh without bringing up the bombs. “I just want to make sure I do not get photo-bombed by Chris Bosh,” Riley said while at the podium. “If anybody (is) creeping behind me, let me know.”

Bosh’s final game was Feb. 9, 2016, a Heat loss to the Spurs in which he had 18 points and five rebounds in 35 minutes.

At the time, it was just another game in a career that will end up in the Hall of Fame, but one that was expected to last several more years. But the blood clots that cut short his previous season had recurred, and 17 months later the Heat waived Bosh after an NBA doctor determined his condition to be career-ending.

The next few years were difficult. Bosh struggled with the game being taken away from him at a time when he had re-invented himself. He continued to insist he was working toward a comeback, but the reality was Bosh would never play again.

Now, Bosh, who turned 35 Sunday, finally is at peace with Riley and the Heat, and with his career being over. He officially announced his retirement six weeks ago.

“Oh yeah, I’m 100 percent at peace,” he said. “I’ve been at peace for awhile. I knew I didn’t want to play basketball because I was just thinking the things you have to go through with your body.

“I don’t want to get in shape for that; Spo talking about body fat again.”

Bosh cemented his spot in Heat lore not when he joined Wade and James in 2010 to form the Big Three, not with his series altering rebound, assist and block in 2013, and not because he was a part of two titles and four Finals. But in 2014 when, after James fled Miami to return to Cleveland, Bosh remained with the Heat, signing a five-year, $118 million deal.

Bosh’s return was in question after James bolted. He had a lucrative offer from Houston and could have returned to his home state to finish his career. But he put enough faith and trust in Riley to overcome losing LeBron.

And that loyalty was being rewarded. The Heat acquired Goran Dragic just days after Bosh was diagnosed with blood clots in 2015. And although Bosh said he felt that team could have won a title, the Wade, Bosh, Dragic Big Three never had a chance.

Bosh played just 97 games after signing that four-year deal.

Spoelstra has a special relationship with Bosh. He often reminds young players of Bosh coming to Miami in his prime and sacrificing on and off the court.

“He could have gotten full max contracts from multiple teams but he chose to come here, sacrificed financially and just as importantly, sacrificed a role,” Spoelstra said.

Bosh played six seasons for the Heat, averaging 18 points and 7.3 rebounds. But when asked for his favorite Bosh moment, Spoelstra recalled one 45-minute chat/film session in a suite in Indianapolis after the Heat had been hammered by the Pacers in the 2012 Eastern Conference semifinals to fall behind 2-1.

It was about 2 a.m. and Spoelstra was getting ready to watch game film when he heard a knock on the door. There was Bosh, two beers in his hand, knowing his coach was hurting.

The two talked while watching the film.

“Sometimes what can be more normal than two dudes having beers together and just watching basketball?” Bosh said Tuesday.

How about Chris Bosh video-bombing his way through two titles?

tom_dangelo@pbpost.com

@tomdangelo44