Andrew Bogut Explains Why Warriors Were The Only Option

Andrew Bogut returned to the NBA after a one-year hiatus on Wednesday after signing a short-term contract with the Golden State Warriors. The Australian spent one season with the Sydney Kings in his homeland before the reigning champions made an approach to take him back to the NBA.

The 34-year-old center was convinced his days in the NBA were over when he made the move to Australia’s National Basketball League in April 2018, but admitted that he was “blown away” by the interest from the Warriors. Bogut revealed there was no other team that could have convinced him to return apart from the team with whom he won the 2015 NBA championship.

“To come back to the N.B.A., for me, was basically Golden State or nothing. But the fact it was Golden State — it was the kind of opportunity that I would be kicking myself if I didn’t take,” Bogut told Marc Stein of the New York Times.

The veteran center was delighted during a press conference Wednesday that confirmed his switch from the Kings to the Warriors. He thanked the Bay Area team for the opportunity and admitted that he was willing to just sit on the bench, be a good teammate and not play even a single minute.

"I appreciate the opportunity and if it's waving a towel for 20 games and being a good teammate I'm happy to do it. For me it's an absolute honor to go and sign there and not play a minute, anything more than that is a bonus," Bogut said during the press conference, as quoted by ESPN.

Bogut is aware that DeMarcus Cousins will be ahead of him in the pecking order to play at center, but believes his services could be required if the latter has foul trouble during a particular game. He even spoke about wanting to “rekindle his relationship” with Cousins with whom he had many scuffles in the past.

"I've got to rekindle my relationship with DeMarcus Cousins because we really went at it when he was at Sac - a lot of near scuffles and holds and flagrant fouls, so I'm looking forward to being on the same team as him this time," Bogut said.

The Australian also insisted that there was no bad blood between him and the Warriors franchise after they dropped him to clear cap space to sign Kevin Durant from Oklahoma City Thunder in 2016. Bogut said he would have done the same if there was a chance to sign a player like Durant, while revealing that he kept in touch with former teammates Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green.

"I understand it was a business decision. You have the opportunity to sign Kevin Durant and I'm the odd man out," the Australian said. "I mean, I would have done that to myself if I was the GM. It's no hard feelings. These things happen and obviously I was disappointed, it got ramped up in the media that I was really bitter and hated everyone there. It was never the case."

"I've kept in touch with people - Draymond, Steph, Klay and ... it's cool to go back to somewhere where I'm valued, not only as a basketball player, but for basketball IQ and as a person, and hopefully I can add another ring to the collection," he added.