WATCH TAB Courtside 1v1 on SBS - episode 1 - with Megan Hustwaite and Andrew Bogut from 7pm (AEDT) on Thursday January 7 via , or catch up via .
Bogut, who was taken first overall in the 2005 NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks, went on to play 13 seasons in the NBA including stints at the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers, Cleveland Cavaliers and Golden State Warriors - where he was part of the team that took out the 2015 league title.
Although set to play a key role in the Boomers push for a maiden Olympic medal at the rescheduled Tokyo Games in 2021, Bogut shocked Australian basketball by announcing his retirement from the game in December.
In the interview set to air on Thursday night’s first episode of TAB Courtside 1v1 on SBS at 7pm on the , Bogut admitted calling time on his career was an easy decision to make, with the challenges of staying healthy on the court taking too much of a toll on him and his family.
“Mentally I was really struggling to even get out bed in the morning, let alone go to training or a game,” Bogut said.
“To get through a session or a game, I would have to arrive more than two hours early to prepare my body just to play.
“And worst of all, it meant when I got home, I wasn’t able to play with the kids properly because I was so worried about my back or another existing injury flaring up.”
Back and ankle injuries plagued Bogut during a two-year stint with the Sydney Kings in the NBL, but that didn’t stop him from leading the team to the grand final in 2020, as well as claiming the league MVP award in 2019.
In the full interview with Courtside 1v1 host Hustwaite, Bogut also reveals how a coaching change nearly forced him to backflip on his retirement plans, as well as discussing the challenges of adapting to life after sport.
The interview is the first as part of new SBS series - TAB Courtside 1v1, which gives fans a chance to get to know more about the unique personalities from the NBA, WNBA, NBL and WNBL, which help shape basketball in Australia.
Hustwaite, who has been covering all levels of Australian basketball for the past 13 years as a reporter, commentator and journalist, will helm the weekly show - every Thursday at 7pm (AEDT) via - where she interviews stars of the past, present and future.
SBS will again broadcast multiple regular season NBA games per week in HD on SBS VICELAND and streamed live via SBS On Demand. Plus, every game of the upcoming 2020-21 NBL season will be LIVE, FREE and in HD via , with select games also live on SBS VICELAND.
