Former Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut may have left the NBA, but it wasn’t without offers from multiple franchises to keep him in the league. Bogut sat down with The Pick And Roll Aussie Hoops to discuss turning down the Association to return home.
“I had offers. I had an offer straight away, a ten-day offer immediately after I was waived, but I didn’t take that,” Bogut revealed. “That team was pretty consistent in trying to get me to come over.”
The Australian-born big man hasn’t said goodbye to the game just yet, as he signed with the New South Wales powerhouse Sydney Kings. It was an interesting move for the 33-year-old, who was born and raised in Melbourne but opted to sign in Sydney instead.
“I’m a Melbourne boy. Definitely a proud Melbourne boy, but obviously our great state is copping a little bit and rightfully so. I don’t think New South Wales is too far behind either. I’m big on personal responsibility and when you want your government to babysit everything you do, it’s not a good sign. Most regimes in history that have heavy government involvement don’t end very well, so let’s hope that doesn’t happen down here.” Bogut said.
It’s a great signing for the Australian National Basketball League, which is in desperate need of continual growth to keep the game moving forward. The Australian National Team may boast some noteworthy names, but the league itself down under is stagnant right now. With the addition of Bogut, it breathes new life into the NBL, at a time when a positive push can do wonders.
Bogut burst onto the scene in 2005 when he was selected with the first overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks. He spent seven seasons in Milwaukee, before knee injuries derailed what was promising upside.
The journey didn’t end there, though, as Bogut's greatest success in the league was set to come after joining the Golden State Warriors in 2012. When the Aussie joined the Western Conference powerhouse, the roster looked a lot different from the team we see today. Soon to be superstars Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green were still developing, and Bogut grew alongside them, eventually being crowned an NBA champions together in 2015.
Bogut played an integral part of the Warriors' first NBA title as a constant paint presence, excellent passer and rim protector. He then underwent brief stints for the Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers before calling it a day in the NBA.
Bogut may be gone, but he remains one of the greatest Australian-born players to ever play in the Association.
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