Why Bogut returned to the inner sanctum

Andrew Bogut has achieved just about everything in the game of basketball, from an NBA championship to representing Australia at the Olympic Games.

Since retiring, the first overall selection of the 2005 NBA Draft has concentrated his time in ownership of the Sydney Kings and Flames, as well as running his podcast, ‘Rogue Bogues’.

But after a five-year hiatus from the day-to-day grind, the now 41-year-old decided to return to the ‘inner sanctum’ and join Brian Goorjian’s coaching staff at the Kings.

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“Sitting on the sidelines, the passion had always been there as an owner. To have my podcast talking about the game, I started to miss not being in the inner sanctum,” Bogut told Kings Media.

“You don't have that blood and tears on you. You have an involvement, but you don't have that feel of ups and downs, and that's what I missed.

“I needed to get away from the game and see if I missed it, but didn't think I would that quickly.

“I thought I was happy to be away from the game and be out of that because it's a pretty brutal industry.

“The NBA is magnified compared to the NBL 10 times in my opinion, and I didn’t want to be in that lifestyle with my kids at the age they are.

“The NBL was the perfect scenario for myself to get back involved, get my feet wet.

“I'm not coaching for the money, I'm not coaching for the accolades, I'm coaching for the other game. That's what a lot of people forget.”

Bogut’s initiation to coaching with the Harbour City side didn’t go according to plan at the start, with the Kings losing five of their first eight games.

But then it all clicked for Sydney, finishing the regular season on a 21-4 run and taking out the top spot.

If you combine their two wins against Perth in the Playoffs and Saturday’s Game 1 victory over Adelaide, the Kings are now on a 14-game win streak (their second-longest in franchise history).

Reflecting on the team’s journey, which now has them two wins away from the club’s sixth championship, Bogut is proud of the team’s growth.

“Who are we? What are we? What's our style of play? I don't think anyone, including the coaches, knew,” Bogut said.

“There were frustrations within our group, but it wasn't nuclear. There were times where it was close, but it didn't go nuclear.

“I’d never been an assistant coach, never cut tape. That was probably the most nervous thing for me coming into the season, because I've never done it before. So whenever you’re trying to do something you've never done before, you've got to make mistakes along the way.

“I just love having a season where you're written off at some point, and it's a disaster at all exits, and then you find a way to be there at the end.

“That would be the icing on top, and why I would really enjoy winning it.”

The NBL26 Championship Series, which Bogut’s Kings lead 1-0 over Adelaide, continues on Friday from 7.30pm AEDT on Friday, live on ESPN and 10 Drama.