The Boomers will chase an elusive Olympic medal next year without Andrew Bogut, after the NBA championship winner announced his retirement.
Key points:
- Andrew Bogut says injury has forced him to abandon plans to play in the Tokyo Olympics
- Bogut was a number NBA one draft pick in 2005, and won a championship with the Warriors in 2015
- He says it has been a “real challenge to get out of bed some days” over the last two years as he has battled injury
Bogut, 36, spent the last two seasons with the Sydney Kings and is one of the most decorated players in Australian basketball history.
On Tuesday, he called time on his career — “effective immediately” — with an announcement on his new podcast.
Bogut said injuries had ultimately ruined his shot at a fourth Olympics campaign, with the Tokyo Games postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“I just can’t physically and mentally get to 2021 with the way the body has been,” Bogut said.
“I mean, I could, on a lot of painkillers and with a lot of physical and mental anguish, but it’s just not worth it at this point in my career.”
Bogut, the NBA number one draft pick in 2005, spent 14 seasons in the United States and won a championship with the Golden State Warriors in 2015.
He returned to Australia in 2018 believing the softer NBL schedule would increase his chances of extending his career through to the Tokyo Olympics.
Bogut was named the NBL’s MVP in 2019 and led the Kings to a grand final last season while battling back and ankle injuries, which both required surgery this year.
“The last two years have been a real challenge for me just to get out of bed in the morning some days, let alone go to a training session or a game,” Bogut said.
“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.”
AAP
