"Compared to his immense talent, Chris Bosh might be the most disrespected player in professional sports.

Shaquille O'Neal once described him as a drag queen; Kevin Durant called him "a fake tough guy." If you search Bosh's name on Google, the results are … less than kind. It takes a confident and strong individual to shrug off all that derision, and Bosh is certainly that.

Now it appears Bosh is hell-bent on matching his physical toughness with his mental fortitude.

NBA players were allowed to work out at league practice facilities Thursday for the first time since the lockout ended. And Bosh's new physique was on full display. It was obvious he used the prolonged lockout to his advantage.

"I don't think I worked hard enough last year," Bosh said. "I was in a position where I didn't know what to expect and everything — I was kind of caught in the headlights a little bit and couldn't catch up."