Warriors champion Andrew Bogut to retire, says playing is "not worth it" anymore

Andrew Bogut – regarded as one of the most successful Australian players – has announced his retirement. In April, the veteran had discussed his future in the game, and he was unsure if he would continuing playing professionally. Bogut, 35, had been worried about his health a little and was unsure if he would be able to play any longer. 

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Andrew Bogut retires from professional basketball

Bogut, who played for 14 seasons in the NBA, broke the news on his Rogue Bogues podcast on Monday (Tuesday IST). The 35-year-old expressed that his decision was not easy, but he hopes it is the right one. "I will be retiring from professional basketball, effective immediately,” Bogut shared, adding that he will be signing "nowhere" for the upcoming season. 

The 2005 No. 1 overall pick by the Milwaukee Bucks, he moved to the Golden State Warriors in 2012. He won the 2015 championship with the team and has been known for his interior defence and passing. He played with them for some more campaigns, joining the team during their finals appearances in 2016 and 2019. 

Congrats on an amazing career big fella! Appreciate all you taught on the defensive end! @andrewbogut enjoy retirement Mate!

— Draymond Green (@Money23Green)

Cleveland Cavaliers, Los Angeles Lakers and Dallas Mavericks were other teams he played for. He then returned to play in the Australian NBL, where he won MVP and Defensive Player of the Year in his first season. The postponement of the Tokyo Olympics also robs him of the chance to play for his team the fourth time. 

Congrats & thank you to @andrewbogut on an amazing career. We couldn't have asked for a better fit at the center spot- a dominant defender who owned the paint, a brilliant passer/screener who blended perfectly with Steph&Klay, and a player with incredible feel. Well done Boges!

— Steve Kerr (@SteveKerr)

Bogut spoke about the COVID-19 pandemic giving him time to think, concluding that he should probably stop playing. He revealed that he had been experiencing chronic pain from injuries, undergoing two offseason surgeries. “The body, probably from 2018 onwards, was hanging on a thread," he explained. 

“The last two years have been a challenge for me, just to get out of bed in the morning some days, let alone go to a training session or a game,” Bogut added. 

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Andrew Bogut Warriors tweet

A leader. A champion. A Warrior through and through.

Thank you for the countless memories, @andrewbogut. Enjoy retirement 💙 pic.twitter.com/LvAUY1B6IE

— Golden State Warriors (@warriors)

Andrew Bogut contract details

Throughout his time in the NBA, Bogut earned $117,226,213 (per Spotrac). He earned most with the Bucks and Warriors, where his salary was $12 million per year. Per reports, he earned $1 million on a multi-year contract with the Sidney Kings. 

Also read | Former NBA top pick Andrew Bogut unsure about playing future

Andrew Bogut stats

Bogut averaged 9.6 points, 8.7 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game for 14 NBA seasons. He even had 1.5 bocked per game, while shooting 53.5% from the ground. The Warriors described him as someone who changed the identity of the team when he arrived in 2012. 

Also read | Andrew Bogut retirement: Former Warriors star calls quits on his bid for an Olympic medal

(Image credits: Golden State Warriors Twitter – @warriors)