After 15 years as one of the leading players in the NBA and Australia’s NBL, Andrew Bogut has announced his retirement from the world of basketball.
36-year-old Bogut announced the news this morning, appearing on his Rogue Bogues podcast to reveal “where he will be signing for the upcoming season”, only to explain that instead, he will be stepping away from the game.
“The decision hasn’t been an easy one, but I think it is the right decision,” he explained. “The decision that I made and where I will be signing for next season is absolutely nowhere. I will be retiring from professional basketball, effective immediately.”
The news comes almost six months to the day after Bogut announced that he would be parting with the Sydney Kings, explaining at the time he would be taking a break from the game in the wake of COVID shutdowns.
Previously, Bogut had cited his prior back and ankle injuries, along with the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as reasons for a potential retirement. During his discussion on the Rogue Bogues podcast, Bogut confirmed that the events of the last few years had crystallised his decision to retire.
“It was real challenging and the from the 2019-20 season that thread was completely frayed and in little pieces. It was real frustrating for me.”
Bogut first rose to fame in 2005 as the first overall pick in the NBA’s draft, being selected by the Milwaukee Bucks. Playing with the bucks for seven years, Bogut moved to the Golden State Warriors, before brief stints with the Dallas Mavericks, the Cleveland Cavaliers, the Los Angeles Lakers, and briefly, Golden State Warriors once again.
During his decorated NBA career, Bogut won a championship with the Warriors, earned All-NBA Third Team and All-Defense honors, and led the league in blocked shots for a season. His two-season stint with the Sydney Kings included the MVP trophy and a trip to the Finals, in what turned out to be his final professional games
Bogut also represented Australia at the Olympics on three occasions, appearing at the 2004 Athens games, 2008 Beijing games, and helped Australia reached fourth place at the 2016 Rio De Janeiro games. Unfortunately, Bogut was forced to sit out the 2012 games in London due to injury.
“Andrew was so much more than a big man, he had an aura about him,” reacted Australian Olympic Committee leader, and International Olympic Committee VP John Coates. “He was an inspirational figure for the Australian Olympic team and a leader on and off the court.
“This is not just a loss for basketball in Australia but a loss for the Australian Olympic movement. I know it must have been a difficult decision for him, but the great athletes know when it’s time.”
