🎙️ Andrew Bogut - Aussie Basketball Legend 🏀

everything is included. There is absolutely going off. Played collegeball Utah Utes number four retired there after two seasons, twenty five, number one overall picking the NBA Draft by the Milwaukee Bucks. It's played for Golden State Warriors, MAVs, Cavs, Lakers. King Sidney King's twenty eighteen NBL MVP Best Defensive Player and All NBL First Team. He has got an absolute resume beyond resumes. He is the great man in one of

the Australian legends and sports. Andrew Bogant Welcome to the podcast.

But before we get into all that, I've got to ask I've been asked to h to ask you about your Orange Valiant and what custom plates you had on it, because I know you're a bit of a custom car man.

don't know what that means. It means effort in Croatian, but it's kind of like a slang. But I believe you can trying to get that fleet now he crows that you get.

in there. I can't imagine what you were like how you get into some of these cars that you have, Like is it I mean obviously you pulled the seat all the way back first thing with the toll blokes that we do. But is there any like Have you been able to customize some of your cars to make it for a seven foot player?

of steering wheel. Between the door and the steering wheel, there wasn't a whole lot of room, so I still bought it. And I had to drive the car barefoot to get that extra bit of room. So I'd always had to drive the car and flip flops. That's how bad I wanted the cars. I'm buying this car, like, I love this car, and I bought it and just pick my shoe off to hit the clutch.

if that makes sense. It was unopened second hand through I found it through a contact of mine in the US, and then yeah, I went through a whole a whole strategy of how to get it, get it and get it to Australia and all that kind of stuff. So got it all done.

and then. I don't have a huge collection of many means, but I have a good rotation of five to six home watching as though I like to work.

ten I like, I like constant action. I don't like to hit, you know, play a shot in golf and then you know, talk, chat, walk all that kind of crap. But I don't. That's not for me. And I did yea astralable football, so I did a big kick. I did good taekwondo and gymnastics. I did gymnastics because my sister did it. So I got thrown in that bus hated it, and then yeah, actually I ended up playing basketball just at my dad's warehouse. He had a hoop

Jordan to the wall that was from the neighbors. And then I wanted to change the basketball and the parents were like, look, if you change, if you changed four again, this is it. Like we're not you know, fees, equipment all that, it's expensive, We'll loaded middle class. So that they're like, if you change, this is it. And I'm like, no, I'm all in basketball. And thankfully it was the right decision.

basketball player. Was there a moment I guess like in your kind of early days you kind of just go, wow, I can actually be pretty damn decent at this this basketball thing.

and all that don't think would be that good. I don't think would be a pro all that kind of stuff. And then some time and eff to work in and as you know, as a big fello, it's kind of hard because I had I was told young and then I stopped growing at about twelve thirteen, just completely didn't grow for a year, and I'm like, what the hell's going on? Like all my friends were passing me, all my teammates were passing me, and it forced me to play a different position. I've played a bit of small

forward to guard learn how to handle the ball. But the hardest thing, as you would know, was when you're a talk when you have these massive growth spurs and you know your body goes out of whack, like coordination is what you're starting to trip over, Like you know, you're doing regular stuff that you did every day and

it's feeling uncoordinated, but what the hell's going on? That's the hardest part is training out of those those growth spurts to get back, get some coordination back, and get some touch with the field left foot before right, right, so before left. This sound stupid to most people, but when you have these massive growth pirts, I think it.

Myke he's already a six years old, you know, he's gone up and down through that like where his footwork is really good playing soccer right now, and then then all of a sudden has a been a gross bood. He's falling over again, like he just you know, you just got to progress through. But yeah, my journey man. Like really it was like someone made a firework in about sixteen seventeen, and just within a couple of years on, you know, standing on the stage shaking David Stone's hand.

But yeah, Utah was awesome, man, Like, I had a great time there, very fond memories of Utah. A beautiful place to live. In my opinion, I really missed the mountains. You realize like once you leave there, you take the mountains for granted because you wake up and there's beautiful hills and rockies and whatnot. And then then he leave there and I ended up going to Milwaukee, which is flat as attack. I ended up missing those mountains, you know, waking up and seeing them every day.

let's just let's get into it like this. Who knows where this will go? Like we'll just kind of roll into it and see how we it turn out. But you're kind of one of the first, are you the first?

But from Australia like I said, but like internationally I felt like there wasn't a lot of people are getting drafted number one and then you know, you got yourself and some other guys from Europe's start getting rafted and I'm like, you know, Umber one, and You're like, okay, is this is it extra pressure because you're not from there and you're playing in a foreign league and you're touted as the best player out there that is existing in the sport.

it's so weird. You know, there was no social media. I don't think people in Australia realize how big of a deal that was, you know, to to be you know, just being drafted really is a big deal, and then to be top ten, top five, number one with a huge deal. But yeah, I was lucky that I went to a small market, I think, and I mean, nothing can really prepare you for it, Like people say, you know, how did you get through it? You got to make your own way and make the mistakes and learn how

to be with it along the way. You can do every bit of media training, you can have the best mental in your life, but until you're thrown into that limelight, no one else can do it for you.

they don't realize, I guess, how big things are outside of the bubble of the country. Really, but I'm talking about it. I want to ask you this because I've always found the draft night hilarious, Like some of the suits rolling around on the night, some of the gold chains that people are wearing, like all this stuff nowadays, this is a full production. Was like whenever you got drafted up, there was there anyone that was just you looked out, was like, what are you wearing?

you know, fashion show, but each of their own. Some guys you want to be want to be models and basketball players. You know. I can't hate on that. Not me, definitely not me. And I was giving ship to a lot of those guys. When I was playing with guys wear funky stuff, I'd definitely I definitely get into them and get after him a little bit.

you can't wear that. What are you doing, dude? No, No, it's okay, you cannot wear that. That's ridiculous. Man. We had the business casual at that point, so you might get fined, but not only that, you're gonna get laughed at, not laugh fine. And the fact that he walked out on the court and the coaches just like, get you back in the locker room of that after on made it even even funnier.

on me. Mother rookie was ears on Minnesota. I'm going to speak the word English, and he was in the G League all of the rookie years. So just me solo and I hit a game where against the Spurs my rookie year, I think it was in November, if or somewhere around November early December, hit this walkoff game winner against the Spurs of the previous year Chaps and gets a locker room on front. You know, everyone's getting around me, and I was just like, you know, fuck

your rookie shit, yeah blah blah blah blah blah. Right, and one of the best was like, yeah, nice game, I guess what, you're still looking tomorrow And I was like, oh, just super that. And the next day I was like mid rookie. So just the reality chick of like, yeah, you're high right now, but you're still rooking tomorrow, buddy, and you're still let get out of doughnuts and everything that we need. So that was that was a nice welcome moment to the NBA.

single week that you kind of came up against. That not every week that you came up against, but whenever you would go and play them, there was a bit of like a rivalry for you or just maybe like a mental kind of someone you had to try to get over that was like really tough to play against that you know, maybe whenever you saw them on the on the upcoming schedule, you just kind of got a bit nervous, or was it something you look forward to as far as a challenge for yourself.

And when he gets hot, you're just like like, what can I do? You know? So I had to attack him at the other end. But another guy that i'd always get into it, which was Kevin Garnett, So funny you mentioned him. We always had. He had this thing where he tried to mess with international players a lot and try to, you know, try to get into him a little bit and all that kind of stuff. And I remember he did it to me, like the first time he did to me. I gave him an elbow

back and he kind of left me alone. From there, but then we'd always get into it every game, like we get into the larger grajis, you know, double text, all that kind of stuff. And I think with a guy like that, you got to go back in it like they and you know, he's trying to see how you react and see if you go into your shell and fetch your game. And it didn't really affect me, and I gave it back to him as good as a game to me. So they'll probably two guys out.

Was there any moments that stick out about like someone, you know, getting under the skin of another player?

that kind of stuff. So I just whenever I get into the guy and they start barking that and just be like, yeah, okay, okay, let's do it, let's do it meet afterwards, cool okay, because it's just like to hear every other game, but nothing too crazy, like you know, generally families, families, kids, wives, and you don't you don't touch that kind of stuff. I know a few people have. That's that's where you don't go. But as far as everything else, like you know, I played with Draymond Green,

so he's probably the most wildest of he'll go. He'll go for something, he'll say, he'll try to say something to really hit home that he's read in the media, or something miging about your personal life it's not family related. He'll go for the soul crusher. So poor Piers one was a funny one from a number of years ago. And you know, you said, you know, Kobe Bryant still chasing that retire and to you know, just just stuff

like that. He has no shame and he's going to try to get in your head and try to get you off as Bessie can.

of like me understanding it. It was like my first year coming to Australia and looking back, do you do you realize the I guess, like the the history of some of those players and how good the players on that court were that you were playing with at the time.

Like I'll just look at those names now and I'm just like, that is an insane like list of people that were playing in a series together and I look at as one of the best series ever ever was They'll look back and just kind of think, wow, it was a crazy time to be a part of.

I mean it was such a battle and I guess we learned the hard way about the momentum of the seven game series and the one that we lost about three to one. Yeah, it's it's just amazing. Depends to most sports, you know. You know, that's why the seven game series to me is just generally it is the better team that wins it because it is you have

to win four times no matter what happens. Injuries do play a parts, Suspensions obviously, all that kind of stuff, but the momentum shifts in those You can feel like the worst team in the world after game too, because he just lost by forty and then you hit him in game three, you know, and everything can change, as we're seeing in the playoffs right now some of the

series is going on. So definitely something that you remedies on the old or not I get the more I reminie on on kind of those stories and terms of the kids and the grandkids describe.

league in the world. There's no other playoff games to talk about. It's just like the scrutiny on that month, all that three weeks is so immense to travel, the back and forth in main game. So for most most of the guys said it was just relief. It was relief. Obviously, you love the faith that you won, but it's like, oh, we did it, you know, And that was probably the

biggest thing that stuck at him. Sort of our best players were saying the same thing, just relieve we got it done, you know, because there's so much pressure, and you know, you see how much steers age over the last ten years with all that success, right, Like some of these coaches that don't don't go deeper into the playoffs and all that, it's almost less stress to an extent because you know, the deeper you go, the more expectation lifts, and you know, you can definitely see it.

With Steve. I think he's his age twenty years and ten years just from all the stress of trying to continue to win championships.

like like okay, you played an NBA. You know, like because people come up to me sometimes we're not about for a photo or have a chat and he's starting to figure it out and four years obviously starting to figure out. But I just don't think they realized what that ring is yet. They will, they will not a number of views.

role export. It's you know, it's the memories made and I think that's what the trophies are important for, Like these things behind me, if I lost them tomorrow whatever, Like it's more I'd be sad because that reminder of the memory, or be at the ring and it'll take me back to that time mentally, right, right, would actually relieved from the stories I remember this, remember that that's what signifies that it could be valued at one dollar, Like you know what I mean. It's just it's one

of those things. I think most people that have things are valuable say say the same thing.

But we're going to that next year. See the record games seventy three games won and he broke Steve Kerrs balls record to do that. Going into that series having you know, the success of the season and then facing one of the best teams again on a second time the second year in a row, and then after that, you know, it's like just debilitating loss. Like what was the feeling that of like having such a successful year and then unfortunately not being able to finish the year.

obviously instrumental this season before and guarding with Lebron. So yeah, it sucks. It's tough, but look at the end of the day, I'm thankful to get one. Like you think about the number of this fifteen players on any day roster, general season, the season. Within a decade, there's usually a team that's going to repeat once or twice all there's two or three teams that win the majority of a decade.

You're in that league group of you know, one hundred of players generally that has an NBA championship were in for that decade. So thanks for that. But yeah, seventeen nineteen, it was just an amazing year. I'm losing in seven. I just remember the regular season, like we won so many games that regular season that we shouldn't have won. Like we had games and we're down like eighteen, gone into the fourth and you know, Stephan Clay just get going and we you know, we just grind out a win.

So it just felt like we would never lose. It really did. And yeah, it was just an interesting year as far as the dynamic. We had guys that were, you know, when we were sixty and whatever, we had you know, ten fifteen games left. We had some guys that were like, let's go for the record. We had

other guys were like, let's be healthy. You know. So then there's in the locker room debate of guys saying, you go for the record, shouldn't we you know, see, most of the guys wanted to go for the record, and see lected to go for it, you know, then we did have some injuries later on in the finals. You know, so who knows the client sight. But there's

no right or wrong way about it. But it was an interesting dynamic just just it's in that locker room of how you know we should handle it moving forward.

he's an interesting human. Is there any of the lessons I kind of stick out from him that you know, you apply to your everyday life and you know a bit of I guess, I don't know, like help that he's been able to give you throughout the years that really sticks out to you.

offensive set. But if you can't, you know, if you can't have as so as not even communications that you know, a good relationship with the players and no one needs personality and all that kind of stuff, you're not going to survive. And we're seeing numerous times in the Bawn. I think Steve understood that. Steve understood that different guys, their buttons are different. You know this Stuary, I can light up and swear and go right in the face and will you know, will bounce back, and then this

guy I can't do that with. Well, this guy needs a hard or that guy needs tough love. Like you need to know that. And that's what that's what Steve's really good at. I mean, probably the thing that I want to do speaking gigs and whatnot that I speak about with Steve is he'd always mentioned that you know, you guys aren't paid the majority of this salary isn't

just for basketball. It's what you give up, and it's you know, like step Curry and they can't just wake up and go I'm going to go to the local shopping center. They can't do that like that, that privily. Just it's a prevalent, right, Like it's that simple thing that every day people do. It's taken away because he did. Step did that one day and to close down more shopping center, to close it down security reasons, right, so that you know you're at dinner and people have their

camera phones out and taking photos of you. You've got a piece of steak on your fork. About a thrillion miles people take a photos of you. Right, So that's where sea what relates to us. This is why you guys are paid with the paid. It's basketball, but it's also you're giving up your personal life. Your kids are in the alarm light, your wife's in the limelight. You make a small mistake in your life, whatever it may be that most twenty year olds make, it's magnified a

one hundredfold. So his you know, his conversation around that was one thing that always always stuck with me, and I tell other athletes that I speak to that. You know, that's that's why you're paying a businesssory. What you're doing, You're going to deal with all that other crap that people people think you should just ause youre an athlete.

You know. I had this thing where, you know, the Australian meaning is very tabulated, and for you know, still towards in the end of my career, every article was like the headline was to do with money, so I'd be like fifty million dollar man or two million dollar man or you know, And I kind of bothered me a little bit because I like, you know, human being first, and like everything is about money, money, money, money, and it kind of bother me because I'm like, so I

was kind of not not not not trying to put it a slider, afraid of it. I was trying to hide the fact that I made that money. But I'm like, at one point, at one point in my career, like what am I hearing it for? It's public anyway, And yeah, I was fortunate enough to get into a league that pays you a lot of money for your services. Do I agree that we should be paid more than fieries and bugs. No, I don't. But that's a total different conversation.

But then I got to a point, right just like you know what it is, what it is, So yeah, how I ended it. It was hard at times. It was just one of those things that you have to navigate as a young fellow. And I was twenty years old, you know, twenty Yeah, I couldn't even legally drink in the US and my rookie the first half of my rookie year, so I remember a couple of veterans would

like try to sneak me into places and whatnot. And you know, I'm making five ten million dollars that year, right like, and I'm just like, what that would I do with it? So I have no idea about anything the value you how to pay a utilities bill or a light bill, because I just come out of college where everything's done for me. So it was all that

to do with as well. But yeah, it's very very interesting, and that's why we see, especially in the US, you know, with NFL, Baseball, basketball, NHL, a lot of these young fellows are get in trouble with the career because it's the unknown. You got to make mistakes and learn from it.

to be self sufficient to an extent. Like when I when I first started the league, I had someone that did everything for me, you know, pay my bills, you know, everything right, like even just transfer money. I'd have to course one, Hey, can you move this money here so I can get it here? And then it bothered me, right, I was like, you know what, like I probably should take onus of my finances and learn how to do

this stuff. So then one day when I retired, to pay someone to how much money other than my bank account, you know, so learn how to be self sufficient. I think it's just something that's very important. And and you know, it's telling an hour, you know, a couple of hours a week to learn and maintain that, and I think that's pretty important.

actually just handled that for you. And I see some of the AFL players coming through, they have their you know, their bank accounts are handled by their agent and I'm.

know what I call it. But had Australia beat America and now they're kind of on this streak right, So like you were kind of one of the ogs that came through and you kind of set the scene for a lot of Australians in the basketball community. And you talk about the media giving you scrutiny and everything else, but they weren't giving you the props for setting the founding stones for some of these players that are now making this kind of money and over in the States

and having the success that they are having. It at the moment. What's your thoughts on basketball Australia now and where it's been able to transform into over your years.

then to now is you know, tenfold. Think a lot has gone into the work that a lot of us have done off the court, were set in the culture and making sure that you know, there's non negotiables we have with the boomers. You know, the national team is interesting, dynamic. You wouldn't really experience the footy, but you've got you know, everyone that comes to the national team is the man or the woman on their team, the the number one,

number two options for their club team. So you all of a sudden bringing twelve people and now you've got you know, all of the things they should be it. I should be the guy, I should be the scorer. So you're gonna understand you got to play a role to make that whole thing hum properly. And that's the hardest thing. And we didn't have a lot of success

of that in the two thousands. We had you know, sometimes some guys would come through that program that would use it as there might be a free agent with their club team. They might use it and I'm going to Olympics and have a good Olympics and get paid by someone in Europe. And it's like, well, that's not the wrong mindset, but this program like we don't want we don't want that, like we need you to do X y Z because we're you have someone's boring or or vice versa. Hey, we need you to just their

physical presence and redoun and block shots. And that's the hardest thing to kind of relay that to people. And we finally got that right over probably the last decade, probably since twenty fifteen, I think we've got it right.

And you know, it's transcended into twenty sixteen and nineteen, we finished fourth, just miss out of the medal, and then we finally get you know, our bronze in twenty one and hopefully you know, with the World Cup coming in this year and then the Olympics, hopefully you know, we can get a silver if not a gold, And it was just just a mindset change, man Like we had we had kind of this mindset of like, as long as we get through the pool rounds in the next round, that's a that's a win for a little

old Australia. And it got to the point where I was like, nah, that's not a it's not a you're basically saying, hey, let's try to get eight before the tournament, like with the hell goes into any tournament, and you've got to be realistic, right like sometimes you know you don't have the swad, they didn't really compete, but you still want to always set your goals number one and then if you finish third, great, you celebrate it. But we had a defeated mindset going into some of these tournaments,

which really kissed me off. So once we address that, fix that, and then all of a sudden, we've got three guys in the NBA, and then we've got five guys, and we've got ten guys. Now we've got the number of guys in the NBA on a consistent basis. You bring them back into the Boomers program. That makes the program better, It makes everything better around us, coaching gets better. The demands from all of a sudden the place to

the federation grew. We said, hey, we demand more professionalism, commune now bast in Australia, Like we're not We're not washing our own clothes anymore in the bathtub, like I didn't want to first join the Boomers. We're not doing that anymore, like you know, just just so then things got better. Our food needs to be better, our traveler rangers need to be better. So it was all collective and sometimes there was tough conversations both ways, but that's

what you need to do. And that's why the Boomer's program is probably the best position it's been in a long long time.

highest percentage. What is it that you know, I guess like, is it the Australian culture of just not like top poppy syndrome and saying like no, we're all even like and we're all going to spread the love kind of thing. Or is it just just the way I guess like this programs don't set up that they they know they're going to be more valuable as a team rather than putting all their you know, eggs in one basket with one or two players.

but we don't need that. We need we need ten and ten from you and we need this from you. And now all of a sudden, you know, looking by like Chris Golding, who's you know, a gunner in the NBL when he comes to the national team is his defense goes up tenfold. He's a great defender of the national team and he's more of a feat set three point straot for us, like we don't need you at the top of the key creating because we have Patty

or Joey or whatever. Right, So it's all these guys giving up some of their games the greater good of the team. And I think we just had a good buying. We had no nonsense guys at the right time that would just say if you don't if you don't want to do that, like we don't need you on the team. And where you know we have cup or players have not made the team because of that and couldn't fit in as a piece of the puzzle. They want to be the whole thing. And that's where we're really really

strict on. And I think it's you know, successful to have that, you got to you got to kind of know your role and buy into it.

a spot there for Ben. So look, I was part of the process and trying to get into play. During those games against sing you were saying album which would have then went on to the World Cup didn't go too well. At the end of the day, Ben wants to play. I'll welcome him, but I'm just really cogressing of not holding the program of Ransom continuously just waiting is he going to play. He is not going to play?

Is he going to play? And I don't think that's good for the culture and what they're trying to build. I understand is one of the best players in the world, but you know, if I would just like a hard hitting if you don't play, to say non played and we move on with life. So I hope he does. You know, he's yet to put on a bit in New Jersey. I hope he does sooner rather than later. But he's I think he's at a crossroad in his career.

To be honest with you, I think he's at a point in his career where he knows this is a huge off season for him, not just for health, but I think for I think he's mentals. Man. I think he needs to get back to that Ben Simmers that we saw and really had it early in his career. He's got a lot of work to do, and I think a lot of it's going to be mental for him. Just trying to get back on the court confident, you know, and getting back to that position would.

you never know. If you're going to fully commit and buying, Yeah, it can be hugely beneficial for him. Like and I think they'll be you know, guys like Joey and you know, Giddy and Patty and we'll not we'll get his confidence up and getting back to playing you know, open open floor bends in his basketball. I think you do wonders for him, but you know he does that that injury. Hopefully he gets that right first, but it would be

it would be nice. I mean just just think about having him, you know, playing that that point forward point center all at times with the way the game's going on small ball, that's a pretty pretty tough lineup if you can get him healthy.

of getting it together. The problem they're going to have is they got a lot of a lot of guys that are once again really good players in their club teams. Can they buying for their group and they don't really have a longevity of a culture or whatnot like like other clubs do. So I think Canada is a sneaky one if they can get things right. The Euros are always they're like you know in Lithuanians are Croats as Serbias, They're always in the mix. And then the US is

always always a favorite. So I think it's like the Austraight out there France, I think it's going to be very good. You know, the up being in the top four of the last three reports tournaments. You know, Bernanda and a few other young guys coming up through there. Spain you just turned out. I mean that I thought they would have fallen off the you know, the pedestal the last couple of campaigns, but they're right up there again.

Argentinas and squeaks in Brazil's pretty talented. So there's there's so much and you know, the game's now grown so much and you just don't know, you don't know who's going to be that. Finland like, you know, they're in a position where they've got to got a gunner on their team and in market and so you know in our group too, So you know he can drop Florida at any given night Mercen crew player and that's the gunner for his national team. So there's a lot, there's a lot,

and I think our groups to sleepy sneaking group. You know Germany, you Schroeder and a few other guys, play Finland, even Japan with Hachimura, it won't be easy beat. So it's going to be a tough sneaking group to get out of.

even with with soccer, it was the same thing. I'd always support Croatia at the World Cups, albeit because Australia was never in the World Cups as a young fellow, like they never qualified. And then the one year that Croatia is finally qualified. I've grown up in Croatia. Australia finally qualified and they get put in the same for

as Croatia. So I'm like, you know, you just it was tough obviously support in Australia, but I supported Croatia for so long in the World Cups austrail was there, but yeah, I mean I still I still support a lot of Croatial sports. I've got a lot of friends over there, families over there as well. Still have a lot of family over there, and was was going every year in the NBA season talk covid hit looking forward to getting back over there in the next couple of months.

ten eleven am, they're already getting the lines out. It's just different people. When people are not as well off as we are in the Western world as far as material things and financially. But I think they have the mix of quality of life really down passed. I don't partment on an island down there for a number of years, about a decade, and I'd make sure i'd went there for about a month a year and in the off season and had a little high school journal.

everything else just kind of like washes away. And I like feel like maybe that's that's croation to you and hopefully you kind of get back there soon. We'll move on to the NBL. Now, you've been involved with the Sydney Kings for a number of years now, you've played for him, and I said, NBL MVP won the championship a lot, so it's it's interesting to me. I want to ask you. You've seen it grow like exponentially over the last five to ten years, right, what do you

think because now it's they've got this ignite lead. You know, they've come in, they've seen what the Australians are doing, taking some of their talent over here with the mel ball, and they've kind of made their own league to say, you know what, we're going to try to replicate that in the US. First of all, what's over the five ten years, what's been the biggest difference you've seen in the NBA, because it has changed tremendously over the years.

You know, we have a lot of people that reach out to us that are you know, we're pretty good NBA players at one point that are trying to make their way back to the NBA that have fallen out for whatever reason, and they see the NBL as a really good path, especially to Sydneykinns. You know, we've had a great trek record of producing NBA talent that have gone backwards and forwards, including coaches, So we get a

lot of calls as far as that goes. And I think, you know, with the way social media is the technology that the league is much more accessible now overseas. I have a lot of friends actually live in the US that watch a lot of our games, which is pretty pretty crazy considering start one two in the morning, which is really cool. But yeah, the league is now known about as a legit second third oftion after the NBA. You know, he's still Eurolea, but the night program. Yeah,

he's still planning his kids. You know. I think, you know, come over to Australia, are you playing against grown man? And there's a few legends that are local Australian players for certain clubs that you know are physical and tough,

and I think that really prepares to you. I think the NBA scouts, most most of them that you ask, would prefer to see talent coming over here because they can get a better analysis of them rather than just playing against you know what is what is similar ages or similar similar levels of physicality in the Night League. So I think it's done very well, continuing to grow, you know, when a TV deal looming in the next year or so, hopefully as well they can help grow

the league. But it's in a good spot. But there's still still a lot of work to do, you know. Where we're doing great things in Sydney Kings obviously back to back champs, so trying to go for a three piece going to be tough. You know, with every championship we lose basically all our imports get poached to go overseas and make more money, which has happened again this season with lose Avia Cooks. So yeah, we're kind of in a rebuild phase of trying to find those imports

and those star players, restructured our bench. But yeah, things have gone really well, especially you know in Sydney, like we had eighty one thousands throughout that Grand Final series. We had a season a record for our club as far as bumps on seats for a season, so things that things are gone really well.

At the time I put that in the contract just as a I wasn't sure whether I would I wouldn't upon retirement, and I ended up jumping at it just because I liked the direction of Paul Smith and our ownership group now with the dinner and family and Luke Longley's on board now and I think the way you know we're going to the club, it's been a no brainer. I think that investment is you know, done very very well.

Thankfully I keep it in there. But yeah, it was always something that I knew a retirement it could transition me into something that I'm still passionate about without taking all my time away from my kids. And you know it is it probably takes more time than I thought it would have been an owner just because we have, you know, a lot of calls. You know, you're going to high coaches, you're going to a GM might call us at eleven PM and say, I've got this guy on the hook. I need an extra twenty k or

fifty k to get blah blah blah blah. So there's a lot of work that goes into it. But yeah, I think it was the first few of its time in Australian sporting history. So pretty proud that a few other players have tried to do similar things and hopefully it goes as well for them as it did for me.

a f L to be privatized somewhat. Can you talk about I guess like some of the benefits of the NB are being probably owned and some of the teams and how that's been able to shape it over the years.

But I think you can, you know, if you run a separate business or if you're involved in something that you've got a big company, you know, if you do have a bit of a loss, you can you can offset it obviously, And we see a lot of a lot of people do that in different sports. But it's a different I think when we can react to much faster private ownership, you know, we you know, say you need to hire or you need to cut an import or you need an opportunity to sign this star. With

private ownership happens quickly. If you've got a board you need to go to to the X y Z, things can take a little bit longer. I know they thought it's a little bit different than they've got a GM and they've got a list manager and all that kind of stuff. But that's the benefits and and and generally it's I think when you have private ownership, it's generally people that are involved in the ownership group of passionate

about the game. They're passionate about the club. You know, they wear they're hard on this leave ownerships for passionate about you know, just winning and losing. You see, you know, like majority around and Paul Smith told him so many times, you got to chill out man, because he takes losses harder than the player, honestly, Like he takes losses so hard man, like driving homes dead silence. He's probably depressed the next day, and then he's getting better the second

day and the third day. But it shows that you need you need owners like that can and that you know, want to do the right thing by their club. And sometimes they revercept the mark sometimes they don't, but you want that passion. I think you don't see that with corporatized type ownership instructus because you don't even know who the person is, right, it's all these people that you

don't really know, don't hear from. Whereas with ownership, I think you know fans to really respect someone that's putting their hard on their sleeve and sometimes losing money and sometimes making mistakes and admitting them. And I think that's a cool thing about one in the NBL, and I think it's continuing to be a place that I've got former teammates in mine and people in the NBA reaching

out about trying to get shares in different clubs. So I think it's see now as a lead, disustainable and doing well.

to ten years, and it's been awesome, I guess. So with the technology and everything that's going on, you can actually access all these different leagues around the world and it allows for Australia to be seen on that world map, and it's been so cool to see some big names come over here and people like yourself, you know what you're saying, you know, asking you about it and you're like, oh my gosh, like we're hey, it's legit, Like it's not just like some god I'm not going to say cupcake.

to knock the Warriors out your team? And is there what's your thoughts on who's gonna win it this year? Like do you think it's going to be you know, one of those the Lakers like that no one probably really expected at the beginning of this kind of playoffs, but now are going on a bit of a run, or you think someone else will will maybe take the top honors.

I just thought they you know, they looked a bit more focused through the regular season after they're lost, but they're not looking too good now. I think their coach probably a little bit of inexperiences playing as part Warriors. Very close to being defeated by the Lakers. I think, you know, the Warriors should make a series out of it. I thought it'd go seven, but it's hard to call. Look my heart, no December. I'd love to see Denver get there. Just the season they've had. I think they're

playing a really good, really enjoyable brand of basketball. But the ball moves, you know, Joki is doing his thing. They've got a lot of weapons now, a lot, a lot of good role players. I think they should get that series against Phoenix, but I can't call it. I really can't call a different team. And you know, Boston was my pick and I thought they get through Philly four two four three, and so they might lose that series.

So this is what you want, though, like as a fan, like you want you want parody where you just can't call it, like it's boring sometimes obviously being a former Warrior, but after I left, you've got the Kdra Warriors, it was kind of like, alright, let's just hurry up and fast forward to the finals, giving their trophy and move on. Not as fun for the average fan, right, it's kind of you kind of know what's going to happen, barring injuries.

So this season I think it's been much much more enjoyable because you just you don't know who's gonna win.

let's say professional sports. By the time they starts school, I want to be based on base at I don't want to top them and changing but now almost not regret, but I feel like I would have loved to have my kids earlier, just because those days where you having a bad day or a bad season or a bad game, you come home and that a good ship, Like it's really cool, just come home because your dad, right, So that's been really cool. Just they're going through their little

journey of starting school and starting junior sport. So I think going to their junior sports bringing out a lot of you know, memories for me about when I started and the joy that it brings and the ups and the downs. And then also just like the two two boys are just so completely different, you know, and the way they go about things, you know, even from passions, and how they react to adversity, is completely different. It's kind of amazing. It's like they're not even related at times.

And that's a beaudea of having kids. And most people say that the brothers or brother and sister are always a little bit different when they handle him. So I enjoyed that, and I'm thankful and lucky and privilege that in a postilar in life where I don't need a full time nine till five and I can I can go and drop my kids off at school and pick them up, and I can go to local sporting things. And my parents did their best with that but didn't

have a lot of time for that at times. The sport they did, but like a lot of the school activities, they just were working right. So I've got to really, you know, really, I'm really thankful to be able to basically be around them. People said that and make sure they grow into respectable young men.

by He's already being recruited to play rugby. I'm like, he's for you. He's four years old. And they're like, oh, you know, he spoke to your son had rugby pops, Like, spoke to your son and he said he wants to play rugby. I'm like, he's poor. Like if you asked him to do to be a flying man, will be like yes. But anyway he is. He's very, very specially aware, so that I just had a truckle like recruiting pause at four years old, but I haven't done a bunch

of stuff. I think has been really good for him, especially self confidence. I highly recommend that for kids that you know, maybe you're struggling a little bit or whatever, like awesome, awesome, awesome sport teaches him how to fall

as well, which can be important for our sports. And soccer has been a blessing because it's like, you know, six year old has had some issues in his feet, like coordination, and he's just really transitioning out of that well with soccer because it's just teaching him, you know, when he puts the time Anthony and training that he's getting better and better. So I hope they'll be basketball. Like people get to a point where they realize, unless I'm a goalkeeper, soccer is probably not for me. I

probably need to find something else. But I'm not one of those parents it's like you must play basketball, you must say this. I'm like, do whatever you want as much as you can till probably nine or ten, and then we're going to be like, hey, pick one of these to go into full time throughout the rest. That's kind of my mentality. More you experience, the better it is.

fully professional, so looking forward to that. Still investing in a lot of different different businesses and startups and some metric capital stuff here in Australia, mainly some stuff in the US, and planned hopefully a shootload of poker loft playing poker, so that's kind of my vice away from you know, everything else in the world. It's kind of my version of fishing or surfing or whatever is mine is poker because like you get you play poker and

your your brain's focused on on the now. You don't focus about what happened yesterday or ship things on on your life or the future. You focused on that, so and then swing a lot of time with the family. So they're kind of my my main things to keep my day going right now, and it's pretty pretty brasy for the most.

in the Australian sportings fere sporting sphere. And I'm absolutely I'm honored to have you on Man, You're You're someone I've always enjoyed listening to, enjoyed your journey and over the years and and be able to watch you and it's a it's an absolute honor to talk to you. So I want to say a massive, massive thank you for coming on and and hanging out.