Australian basketball legend Andrew Bogut has retired from the sport, effective immediately, meaning he will miss next year’s Tokyo Olympics.
The news comes from Andrew Bogut on his new venture, the Rogue Bogues podcast.
After 14 NBA seasons, Andrew Bogut — a 2015 NBA champion — announces he is retiring from basketball. Bogut played for the Bucks, Warriors, Mavericks, Cavaliers and Lakers and spent last two years in Sydney.
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 30, 2020
The 36-year-old announced his decision on his podcast Rogue Bogues, ruling himself out of next year’s Tokyo Olympics.
“I’ll be retiring from professional basketball effective immediately,” Bogut said.
“We are in late November now, I would have made this decision earlier if it wasn’t for the postponement of the Tokyo Olympics. I was hoping to get to the 2020 Olympics and call it the day after that as it would have been a great accolade to get a fourth Olympics but it’s just not meant to be.
Bogut had hoped to play in 2020 Olympics but decided to retire after being unable to physically and mentally get into the shape needed to be a part of the Boomers program.
“I could get there with a lot of painkillers and mental anguish but it’s just not worth it.
“I’m really starting to value my health away from the court and my health when I’m 40, 45 and 50.
“Some people might say it’s only six months of training but I’m at a point where I just can’t do it.”
Bogut was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft and was on the All-NBA third team in 2010.
The Milwaukee Bucks drafted Bogut with the first pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Over his NBA career, he also played for the Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers.
In 2015 Bogut was named to the All-NBA Defence second team and a key part of the 2014-15 Warriors championship season.
A leader. A champion. A Warrior through and through.
Thank you for the countless memories, @andrewbogut. Enjoy retirement 💙 pic.twitter.com/LvAUY1B6IE
— Golden State Warriors (@warriors) November 30, 2020
Andrew Bogut retires as one of the most influential figures in Australian basketball history. Kicking down doors with his size nineteen boots which had never been done by an Australian before.
From making braggadocious claims he would have a career unlike Luc Longley or Andrew Gaze, the countries greatest basketballers at the time, on draft night to statistical feats like the night he scored 32 points against Dallas in 2010 or his effort against Charlotte in 2007 when he filled the stat sheet with 27 points, 11 rebounds, 6 assists, 3 blocks and shot 80% from the field.
Bogut’s return to Australia has shone a spotlight on the NBL which has helped it return to levels unseen since the “glory days” of the mid-90s.
As Bogut walks away from the game many will focus on the freak injuries he sustained during his career and ponder what he could have achieved had one or two of those not happened.
Take your pick from the frightening incident in 2010, the crippling ankle injury in 2012 or the broken tibia he sustained in 2017 to see him accomplish what he has done on the world’s stage over a 17-year journey is incredible.
His commitment to the Australian National Team, representing the Boomers at three Olympic Games (2004,2008, 2016) as well as an unforgettable 2019 FIBA World Cup represents who Bogut really is.
At 35 years of age, Bogut was the heart and soul of a team which delivered Australia’s greatest result at a World Cup and equalled the Boomers best-ever fourth-place finish.
Bogut noted that while the goal had always been to play for the Boomers at the upcoming Olympics, the fourth seems to be just out of reach after revealing he’s had trouble just getting out of bed in recent years.
“I’m not going to lie; the last two years have been a real challenge for me just to get out of bed in the mornings let alone going to a training session or a game,” Bogut said.
“The body from 2018 onwards was hanging by a thread.
“In the 2019/2020 season that thread was completely frayed and in little pieces. It was beyond hanging by a thread.
“It was really frustrating for me, but this off-season I’ve been able to get up in the mornings and walk pain-free.”
He will be remembered in many different ways by many different people. Words like a champion, opinionated, trailblazer, rogue, one of a kind, instigator and warrior will be used as people describe his illustrious career but whether you loved Bogues or loved to hate him during his career… one thing that should all Australian basketball fans smile is the fact he’s one of ours.
Dan Boyce is a die-hard Sydney Kings fan who grew up in Melbourne during the roaring 90's of Australian Basketball and spent far too much time collecting Futera NBL Basketball cards.
