Injured Boomers star Andrew Bogut ‘working around the clock’ to be fit for Rio

ANDREW Bogut’s manager says the NBA champion is desperate to get to the Rio Olympics, warning supporters never to write off the championship winner.

Andrew Bogut injured his knee during the NBA Finals.

ANDREW Bogut’s manager says the NBA champion is desperate to get to the Rio Olympics, warning supporters never to write off the championship winner.

Bogut is working around the clock in Melbourne to rehab a knee diagnosed as having bone bruising that will take six to eight weeks to heal.

That prognosis means he cannot afford a single setback, with Bogut intent on making the “miracle” recovery he says he needs.

The Boomers start a 10-day training camp in Melbourne next Tuesday before the final 12-man squad is chosen.

Bogut will be at the camp as an onlooker, with Daniel Kickert (2006 World Championships side) and Aleks Maric (2012 Olympics) both added to the squad.

Without Bogut the Boomers’ aspirations of winning a medal in Rio diminish rapidly, but manager Bruce Kaider says not to give up hope.

Bogut hyper-extended his knee during the NBA Finals.

“He is back in Melbourne doing his rehab and he will be there (at the camp) next week,’’ he said.

“Everything is going well, he is working around the clock doing everything he can to get himself right.

“From my understanding from him it’s probably a month before he can get an indication of where he is at.

“He is a consummate pro when it comes to doing rehab and preparing himself, if anyone can do it I would like to back him in to get back.

“You can’t ever count a guy like that out. These guys are champions and they do what they do for a reason. With his dedication to everything he does, I would never say never.”

Bogut’s prognosis means he will likely be chosen in the final squad despite Boomers coach Andrej Lemanis knowing he might not recover in time.

Veteran Daniel Kickert has been added to the Boomers squad. Picture: George Salpigtidis

It is understood teams may still make late changes to their squads for Rio prior to the technical meeting which takes place 48 hours before Olympic competition begins.

Lemanis has not spoken to Bogut about that process, with the Golden State Warriors star keen to touch base with his teammates in the next fortnight.

The Boomers play five games in the first eight days of Olympic Games, play a day-on, day-off schedule.

It would give Bogut a chance of playing some key minutes in critical games and Lemanis has not ruled out having Bogut completing his rehab while the Boomers put the finishing touches to a campaign starting in Brazil on August 6.

“Those things are a case-by-case basis depending on the nature of the injury,” he said last month.

“The reality is we need to be good on August 6 — that’s when we need to be playing our best.”

Originally published as Injured Boomers star Andrew Bogut ‘working around the clock’ to be fit for Rio