Former NBA No. 1 Overall Pick Ponders Retirement Amid Coronavirus Pandemic

Former Golden State Warriors center Andrew Bogut is reportedly hanging up his sneakers earlier than planned. The 35-year-old center was set to compete at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo as part of the Australian national basketball team but was halted since the coronavirus pandemic happened.

According to an ESPN report, the seven-foot big man is starting to reflect on his basketball career after being idle for over a month. The National Basketball League in Australia released an official statement announcing the cancellation of the ongoing Grand Final series on March 17.

“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,” said Bogut, a former NBA top pick overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005.

The NBL Finals series feature Bogut and the Sydney Kings going up against the Perth Wildcats with the latter is up 2-1 in their race-to-five affair. Perth was later awarded as league champions with the season unable to continue.

“It's (career) all been thrown into a washing machine, essentially, but there's a decision to be made probably by mid-May,” Bogut said.

Due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the Tokyo Olympics was rescheduled in 2021 to give the organizers enough time to recover from the interference caused by coronavirus spread.

His basketball career also took a lot of time from his personal life. Bogut is making up a now loves spending time with his two sons, Luka and Nikola.

"To be able to kiss your kids goodnight and put them down every night, I've appreciated doing that,” revealed the one-time NBA Champion with the Warriors in 2015.

Bogut was drafted number one by the Bucks in 2005 after playing two years with the University of Utah and went on to play 14 seasons in the NBA for five different teams – Milwaukee, Golden State, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and the Los Angeles Lakers. In January 2006, the Utah Utes retired Bogut’s jersey no. 4.

He holds career averages of 9.6 points, 8.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.5 blocks. Known for his defensive plays, the Aussie was named as the league leader in blocks with 2.58 per outing in 2010 and was named to the All-NBA Third Team that same year.

Outside the NBA, he was named the NBL Most Valuable Player in 2019 and was included in the All-NBL First Team that same season.