A lot of them get caught up in the hype and do video clips with rappers and all that crap...
A lot of them get caught up in the hype and do video clips with rappers and all that crap. They want bling bling all over themselves and drive fast cars
As a 15-year old, Bogut was cut by the Victorian State Representative team. Six years later he would become the #1 draft pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. Australia’s very own Michael Jordan story? Ok I’ll relax …
But Bogut’s story is one of inspiration and perseverance. He’s a talented individual who is both divisive and driven. His career earnings to date are $118m. Twelve years ago in 2007 while at the Bucks, Bogut gave us all an insight into his mindset.
In a casino in Milwaukee and despite his $5m he earned during that season, Bogut liked to play poker against regular people, testament to his down to earth personality. Despite the heights of the NBA, he already was missing home.
“There are guys who drop a hundred grand for a chain. The public’s got it right – a lot of NBA stars are arrogant and like to spend lots of money and have lots of girlfriends and all that”
Bogut has had to persevere in a career that has been marred by injuries. In 2010 he suffered a broken hand, dislocated elbow and sprained wrist all in the one game against the Suns in 2010.
Against the heat in 2017 in his debut for the Cavaliers he suffered a broken leg after only 58-seconds on the court.
He has pushed through though to become one of only six Australians in history to have won an NBA Championship, winning the 2015 championship with the Golden State Warriors.
“But I kind of got over the harsh business side of the NBA. You can be settled and in a house and then the next day you get a call and you are gone”
Bogut has also been quite the journeyman in his career. After seven years with the Bucks, he was traded to the Warriors in 2012 followed by a trade to Dallas in 2016. He left for Cleveland only one year later before being waived and then signed by the Lakers, before being waived again.
He has always maintained an affinity for his home of Australia. During the 2011 NBA lockout he wanted to play for the Sydney Kings in the 2010-11 NBL season but a $39m insurance dispute couldn’t be resolved to make that happen.
In 2018 he finally returned to Australia to play in the NBL for the Sydney Kings. Despite a mid-season return to the Warriors for the rest of the 2018/19 season, you get the feeling he’s relieved to finally be back home after a 15-year career in the NBA and an opportunity to close out his career with home-court advantage.
