Former NBA top pick Andrew Bogut is considering retirement, admitting that his body is not like what it used to be. He is currently playing for the Sydney Kings in the National Basketball League (NBL) with hopes of suiting up for the Australian National Team in the 2020 Olympic Games. But as most know by now, the games have been moved to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Having to wait one more year, it appears the top pick of the 2005 NBA Draft cannot wait that long. Although the hiatus has allowed him to heal better although springing back to action may not be easy. Getting back in shape will be a need for Bogut if he intends to continue playing both for the NBL and the Tokyo Olympics.
“I haven’t done any basketball since the season ended, and it feels good waking up, getting out of bed and not feeling like I’m walking on glass,” Bogut said in a report from ESPN. “It’s [my career] all been thrown into a washing machine, essentially … but there’s a decision to be made probably by mid-May.”
Although he did not directly mention it, it seems Bogut wanted to have one last chance to play for the Olympics. It made sense he is currently in shape. But with a prolonged respite, the Australian big men are now questioning his ability to get back into shape for as long as the coronavirus is keeping most grounded.
“I can get up for a basketball game any day of the week, but it’s hard to get up for five, six days of training a week and lifting weights,” he said.
Bogut is confident that the Boomers have the tools to account for a good performance in the Tokyo Olympics. He was part of the team that finished fourth in the 2019 FIBA World Cup and it made sense to expect him to be in the lineup for the Olympics. Bogut made a good account of himself for the Australian national team but now the time has become a crucial factor.
“To be part of that, selfishly, is something I really want to do, but the body is what it comes down to," Bogut explained.
The COVID-19 pandemic has not only shackled the most at home but has left multiple athletes in sensitive situations. Some are worried about new contracts while others are battling Father Time. Bogut knows his chances of playing next year in the Olympics is there but needs to make a proper assessment if his body is still up to it.
