Andrew Michael Bogut, the skilful centre, was born on 28 November 1984 in Melbourne, Australia. He is known for his defensive prowess, immaculate passing, and game awareness. He was the first Australian Player to be picked up by the Milwaukee Bucks as the first overall pick in the 2005 NBA draft. Bogut has been the cornerstone of Boomers. He is credited with paving the way for young Australian players to enter the NBA and taking NBL to new heights.

Early Life And Career

His parents, Michael and Anne, moved from Croatia to Australia in the 1970s. He played Australian rules football and Lawn Tennis apart from basketball.

Bogut got admission to St John’s Regional College Melbourne. He aimed to play basketball at the highest level. However, he was dropped from the Victoria Junior State team. Bogut’s exit from the team set his ambition on fire to make it to the highest level.

Grinding hard, he made his presence felt by earning roster sport in the Australian Institute of Sport in 2002.

Given his talent, he played in the South East Australian Basketball League representing AIS. In his first season of 2002-2003, he helped AIS win East Conference Title.

On the back of some great performances, he was cruised into the Under-19 Australian Junior National team. He helped his team win the 2003 FIBA Under-19 World Cup in Greece. He was also named the most valuable player of the tournament.

A Decorated College Career

The college career of Andrew Bogut was nothing but glorious. Owing to his towering presence and playing acumen, he caught the attention of basketball management. In 2003-04, as a freshman at the University of Utah, he played 33 games, averaging 12.5 points.

He improved his performance further in his sophomore season scoring an average of 20.4 points, 1.8 blocks, and 12.2 rebounds.

Overall, he ranked 19^th in NCAA scoring, second in rebounding, and 8^th in rebounding. He is among 31 Utah players having scored more than 1000 points for the college. He earned the following laurels in his college year:

• In 2004-05 Andrew was named national player of the year by ESPN.com and basketball times.
• The same year he earned Associated Press first-team All-American and leading vote-getter.
• Received Naismith College Player of the Year and the John R. Wooden Award.
• Utah retired No.4 Jersey in honour of Andrew Bogut.

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Professional Career Of Andrew Bogut

Andrew’s transition from college to the professional level has been smooth sailing. The Milwaukee Bucks selected Andrew as the top pick in the 2005 NBA draft.

Possessing great defensive abilities of shot blocking and rebounding, Andrew carved his path in the NBA.

Andrew played for numerous sides in the NBA. A glimpse of his career in each NBA team is given as;

Playing For Milwaukee Bucks (2005–2012)

He was selected as a first overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005. Soon he ranked among the top players in the Bucks due to his excellent defensive skills.

Although, he was deterred by the injuries while playing for the Bucks still he managed to score on average 12.7 points, 1.6 blocks, and 9.3 rebounds per game.

Career In Golden State Warriors (2012-2016)

His career reached the pinnacle when he was picked by the Golden State Warriors. His trade to the Warriors for Monta Ellis made the Golden State Warriors a powerhouse in the league.

Andrew’s defensive prowess helped his team win the NBA championship in 2014-15. His abilities to guard the rim, pass the ball, and assist changed the dimension of the team.

Playing for the Golden State Warriors, on average he scored 6.3 points, 1.7 blocks and 8.4 rebounds per game.

Playing For Dallas Mavericks (2016–2017)

On 7^th July 2016, he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. His stay with the Dallas Mavericks was short-lived. He suffered a few injuries while playing for the Mavericks.

Despite injury-prone time in the Mavericks, he showcased his defensive talent to the fullest. He averaged 10.3 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game.

In February 2017 he was traded to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, he was waived by the 76ers.

Cleveland Cavaliers (2017)

In March 2017, Andrew was picked up by the Cleveland Cavaliers. Unfortunately, he broke his left leg in his debut game for the Cavaliers.

His X-rays report revealed that he had a fractured Tibia. Consequently, he had to undergo a non-surgical treatment. Ultimately, he was waived by the Cavaliers

Los Angeles Lakers (2017-18) 

Bogut was signed up by the Los Angeles Lakers. He didn’t play much for the Lakers. However, he groomed the young lot of the team.

In January 2018 he was waived by the Lakers. He left for Australia to spend time with her wife who was expecting a child. Andrew didn’t return to the NBA in 2018.

In the last part of his career, Andrew decided to play in the NBL. He had always admired the Sydney Kings and hence joined the Kings.

Andrew Bogut in NBL: Sydney Kings (2018-19)

He signed a two years contract with his favourite side in the NBL. In Season 2018-19, he was named the NBL Most Valuable Player, Best Defensive Player, and named to the All-NBL First Team.

His prowess helped the Kings reach the Playoffs but unfortunately lost to Melbourne United in the Semi-Finals. His average was 11.4 points, 2.7 blocks, 3.4 assists, and 11.6 rebounds per game.

In the season 2019-20, playing for NBL, he was instrumental in helping the Kings win a minor premiership. He was also named to the All-NBL Second Team. At the end of the season, he announced that he wouldn’t be re-signing with the Kings.

Playing For The Boomers

Andrew’s career with the Boomers has been phenomenal. He first represented the Boomers in the 2004 Athens Olympics. His record at his first Olympics was more than decent averaging 13.7 points, 9 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game.

In the 2006 FIBA World Championship, Australia made it to the round of 16 but lost to the United States. On average, he scored 12.8 points and 6.2 rebounds per game.

He appeared in the 2008 Being Olympics but didn’t perform well. Due to injury, he was unable to participate in the 2012 London Olympics. He was part of the national side for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

He also played for the Boomers in the 2015 FIBA Oceania Championship. Bogut represented team Australia at the 2016 Olympics in Brazil. Boomers finished fourth in the event.

Retirement of Andrew Bogut 

The later part of Bogut’s career was plagued with injuries. In 2020 he had two surgeries i.e. ankle and lower back. Thus, he decided that he can’t sustain the injuries and announced his retirement on 1^st December 2020.

Controversial Political Views

In December 2016 he tweeted that the Pizzagate hoax was real thus, stirring a controversy. The Pizzagate controversy was an infamous conspiracy theory that revolved around the 2016 American Presidential election.

Andrew kicked the hornet’s nest and found himself amidst harsh criticism from around the world and especially from American citizens.

Once again he was in was facing criticism in 2021 when he posted he termed coronavirus and lockdowns as part of a global conspiracy.

He breached the lockdown protocols and went to Foodbank Victoria which was a coronavirus hotspot.

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Andrew Bogut’s Charity Work

Andrew has a caring heart and contributes regularly to the welfare of society. He has donated to the Isabella and Marcus Foundation which raises awareness for brain cancer in children.

Bogut has an organization called Andrew Bogut 4 Foundation. The foundation financially supports underprivileged young players in Australia and Croatia.

Conclusion

Andrew Bogut is a role model for many young basketball players. His abilities as a centre and formidable defender changed the basketball outlook in Australia. Andrew’s entry into the NBA as the first overall pick telegraphed Australia as a powerhouse of basketball.