All summer long, NBA Game Time's celebrating the global reach of the game we love. Over the course of 90 days - leading up to the 2014 Global Games in October - get to know more about the international faces of the NBA. Day 15 brings us…
Andrew Bogut (C, Golden State Warriors) Australia
Height: 2.13m, 7-foot| Weight: 117.9kg, 260 pounds | Born: 28 November, 1984
Defensive. Powerhouse. Two words that have always described Andrew Bogut.
The 2005 No. 1 overall Draft pick had another solid season in 2013-14, finishing sixth in the league in blocks (1.8 per game) and 10th in rebounds (10.0). While known for his defensive presence, he also showed off his versatility this season, posting a career-high 62.7 percent mark from the field. According to Warriors.com, this marked the first time in team history that a player averaged at least 10 rebounds per game with a field goal percentage over 60 percent.
With numbers like these, there's no question that the Warriors suffered a significant blow when Bogut went down mid-April with a broken rib. Sidelined for the rest of the year, his absence was most keenly felt in the playoffs when Golden State lost in the first round to the Los Angeles Clippers after a seven-game battle.
With Bogut healthy again this season and the Warriors under new leadership with head coach Steve Kerr, the team may have all they need to become a top contender next season. As the saying goes, defense wins championships. And with Bogut anchoring the effort, he hopes to prove just that.
Key Stats:
2013-14 Season- GP: 67 | MPG: 26.4 | PTS: 7.3 | REB: 10.0 | AST: 1.7 | BLK: 1.8
Season Highlight:
Recorded a double-double with 20 rebounds and 12 points against the Lakers on 21 December 2013.
Awards:
*Number retired by University of Utah in 2006
*Naismith College Player of the Year (2005)
*NBA All-Rookie First Team (2005-06)
*All-NBA Third Team (2009-10)
5 Things to Know:
1. He was born in Melbourne to Croatian immigrants.
2. He led the NBA in blocks per game for the 2010-11 season and ranked second in the league in blocks per game during the 2009-10 season.
3. He started "Andrew Bogut Basketball", Australia's only basketball-specific training center located in the suburbs of Melbourne.
4. He left Milwaukee ranked in the franchise's top-10 in field goal percentage (6th), rebounds (4th), offensive rebounds (4th), defensive rebounds (1st), blocks (3rd), rebounds per game (4th) and blocks per game (5th) (per andrewbogut.com)
5. His favorite foods include soup with noklice (semolina dumplings), cevapi (small grilled rolls of minced meat), burek (a pastry filled with meat, cheese or vegetables) and Penne Alla Vodka (pink sauce) (per andrewbogut.com)
Check out Bogut's photos and video in the LEAGUE section of NBA Game Time.
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