NBA champ and Kings assistant Andrew Bogut touted as a future coach of the Boomers
Andrew Bogut is a NBA champion and former NBL MVP, but there’s plenty in basketball who believe he could also be a future Boomers coach. This is why.
He’s one of the greatest Australian basketballers but, as an assistant coach, “big kid” Andrew Bogut has brought the perfect balance between serious and playful to the Sydney Kings – and it has some touting him as a future Boomers coach.
A rookie assistant in name only, Bogut is revered as one of the most intelligent basketball minds Australia has produced – but it’s a side of the NBA champion centre we don’t see that has set him apart inside the four walls at the Kings.
Veteran guard Shaun Bruce says, six games into NBL26, Bogut, a big man who has built a huge following on social media with his strong opinions, has had a profound influence on the locker room.
“The level of detail Bogues coaches with and the way he connects with everybody is really special and really underrated,” Bruce said.
“What people don’t know about Bogues is he has a lighter side as well.
“He’s made the day-to-day grind of pre-season and the start of the season really enjoyable.
“I think he’s a big kid at heart.
“Everyone sees Bogues as this big, outspoken guy, but he loves having fun as much as anyone.
“They only see Andrew Bogut, the coach, and Andrew Bogut on Twitter.
“He’ll hang s**t on guys and he’ll get s**t hung on him and he’s happy for that.
“But he also does a great job of making sure we’re locked in when we need to be.
“It’s really cool to be a part of.”
Bogut, who was thrown the reins on Sunday when legendary mentor Brian Goorjian was ejected by an overzealous NBL referee and calmly led the Kings home against Perth, is in a unique situation.
He remains part-owner of the club as an assistant to Goorjian alongside Billy Tomlinson and Shaun Roger.
Goorjian has two seasons to run on his contract and, while the Kings haven’t addressed anything publicly, it makes sense to prepare for the future.
Former King Brad Rosen, now an NBL broadcaster, said the 40-year-old was a “born coach” who could excel in a head role in the NBL, NBA or even at international level.
“I have no doubt Bogut will want to be a head coach in the future,” Rosen said.
“In my mind, he could do, really, whatever he wants. He’s been there, he’s done that, he knows the game.
“I have no doubt he’ll be a coach in the NBL. Now, is it at the Sydney Kings? I don’t know. Is it at another team? Don’t know. Is it the Boomers? Wouldn’t shock me.”
Given he earned A$180 million in an NBA career that spanned 14 seasons, Bogut’s not at the Kings for the pay cheque.
“It’s his love for the game, I think, that pulled him back,” Bruce said.
“What I see from him as a coach is he’s extremely hard working and you can tell he just loves the job.
“He’s just so smart. He sees things quicker and clearer than what most people do and he doesn’t leave much grey area when he’s delivering his messaging to you.
“He knows what’s happened and what needs to be done and he’s really clear with his voice.”
BJ Carter, who was part of Sydney’s 2003-05 three-peat under Goorjian, said Bogut’s presence was a privilege for the Kings current crop.
“When he’s saying, ‘do this’ and ‘do that’, you know he was only doing the same thing a couple of years ago, not only in the NBL but also in the NBA – and it wasn’t that long ago he was in an Olympic campaign,” Carter said.
“I know if I was playing and I had someone like him sitting on the bench who I was watching not long ago sharing his knowledge and experience, I’d be listening and trying to soak it all in.”
It’s the triple-Olympian’s “aura” Rosen said.
“I called one game in commentary with him, and he blew me away. Some of the things he said. I was like, ‘Oh, that’s so cool for our viewers’, he just sees the game so differently,” Rosen said.
“The one thing that I love about Bogut is he’ll say it as it is and the respect that he will get from those players is second to none.
“That’s where, to me, he’s 50 steps ahead of every other assistant coach in the league.
“You’re talking about a guy who has done everything. When he walks into a gym, there’s an aura about him. It’s automatic respect.”
FORMER MVP ON THIN ICE AS BULLETS LURE NEW IMPORT
Brisbane has found its replacement for departed import Javon Freeman-Liberty – but the Bullets might not be done yet.
Amid word Brissy have secured former Philadelphia and Memphis guard Dakota Mathias, Code Sports has learned underperforming import Jaylen Adams is on thin ice as the club mulls whether to make a change.
Adams was benched last week after failing to live up to professional standards. It’s understood the 29-year-old former NBL MVP has been given a chance to lift but, if that doesn’t happen, there is potential for the club to move him on.
Sources said the Bullets – along with the Wildcats – have made inquiries about former NBA man David Duke, who was waived by Phoenix over the weekend. The 193cm American shooting guard has played in 55 games across four seasons in the NBA and is understood to be open to a move Down Under.
On Mathias, the 30-year-old is an elite shooter – three times he’s connected on at least 39.5 per cent on a high volume of treys in the G League – and will land in Brisbane off a 2024-25 campaign where he poured in 17.3 points, while averaging 4.8 rebounds, 3.4 assists and 1.3 steals with Fort Wayne/Noblesville.
“He’s (an) offensive force, everybody knows where he is at all times and when he moves,” Noblesville Boom coach Tom Hankins told Indiana hoops writer Tony East, earlier this year.
“He takes gravity, he takes people with him, causes other things to open up, and he just has a knack for making a difficult shot.
“He moves without the ball as well as anybody. He really understands where to be and when to change speeds … great shot, good feel.”
Mathias is set to combine with marquee import forward Casey Prather – second in the NBL at 25.5 points per game – dominant big man Tyrell Harrison – third in rebounding at 10.1 to go with 17.1 points – and, for now, Adams, who showed great signs in his last outing with a breakout 29-point explosion as a big Bullets’ comeback effort just fell short against Melbourne United.
MORE LIKE ‘NO RAGRETS’: COTTON ON AS CATS FLOUNDER
It’s been a rough stretch for the Perth Wildcats and owner Mark Arena.
Arena famously insisted he had “no regrets” about all-timer Bryce Cotton’s messy off-season exit.
But the legendary five-time MVP clearly hasn’t forgotten.
A day after Perth axed underperforming import Mason Jones, the Red Army’s beloved three-time champion, now in Adelaide, poured in a 36ers’ record 53 points against Cairns (in bright red shoes).
Cotton’s performance was sandwiched by a pair of bad losses for the Wildcats.
Our man Bryce rarely says anything in public without thought, so you can bet there was plenty behind his post-game comments about feeling “welcome and wanted” in Adelaide.
“I’ve been extremely happy since the day I came here,” Cotton offered.
“Not just with the teammates and the coaches but everybody in the Adelaide organisation is amazing
“They’ve welcomed me and my family with open arms and it feels good to be in a place where you really feel welcome and wanted and it makes you want to give it everything you got for everybody.”
If there was any doubting how Cotton feels about his exit and his former boss, Tuesday night’s Insta story dispelled them.
Cotton shared a club graphic touting his scoring explosion as the highest ever by a 36ers player – adding two words: “no regrets” – and a praying emoji.
Arena might not have any regrets, but the current state of affairs has the fiercest fanbase in the entire NBL splintered.
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Originally published as NBA champ and Kings assistant Andrew Bogut touted as a future coach of the Boomers
Came to play, want to stay: NBL imports set to join Aussie Bryce
