Former University of Utah men’s basketball player, No.1 overall NBA Draft pick, and NBA Champion Andrew Bogut has announced his retirement. Bogut played 14 seasons in the NBA for the Milwaukee Bucks, Golden State Warriors, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and Los Angeles Lakers. He also played two years for the Utes, from 2003 t0 2005. 

Bogut was born in Australia and came to Utah in preparation for the NBA. During his two years in college, he earned many honors, including Mountain West Conference Freshman of the Year, second team All-Mountain West Conference, 2004-05 National Player of the Year, AP First Team All-American, Naismith College Player of the Year, the John R. Wooden Award and had his No. 4 jersey retired by Utah, among other awards and accolades. His sophomore season, the Utes went 29-6, won the Mountain West Conference and went to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament.

He was top 20 in the nation in scoring at 20.4 points per game, and led the Mountain West Conference in scoring, rebounding and field goal percentage. All of this led to him being selected at No. 1 overall by the Milwaukee Bucks in the 2005 NBA Draft. He was the second Utah player to be selected first overall after Bill McGill in 1962. Alex Smith of the football team was also selected first overall to the NFL that year, making history as the only school ever to have a No. 1 overall NBA and NFL draft pick in the same year.

During his NBA career, Bogut made the All-Rookie first team, All-NBA third team in 2009-10, and All-Defensive second team in 2014-15. He was a key piece for the Golden State Warriors in their run to the NBA Title in 2015, and came oh-so-close to two more championships in 2016 and 2019 with Golden State. His injury late in the 2016 Finals was a huge blow to them that year. He was also a member of the 73-9 Warriors in 2016, the best regular season record in NBA history.

Bogut also appeared in the Olympics in 2004, 2008, and 2016 for the Australian National Team. He missed the 2012 games due to a wrist injury.

He has spent the past few years in his native Australia playing with the Sydney Kings, winning the NBL MVP, Best Defensive Player, and and made the All-NBL first team. He rejoined the Warriors following the conclusion of the NBL’s season, and made another Finals run as his last appearance in the NBA for the 2018-19 season. 

Bogut retires as a beloved NBA veteran who made his mark on the league. He was a key cog to some really good teams and teammates loved him. His college career at Utah was one of the best ever, and his jersey hangs in the rafters, one of only eight players to have received that honor. He is a member of the 2020 Utah Athletics Hall of Fame class, and is a pioneer of Australian basketball, blazing trails for current and future players from the Land Down Under. Bogut retires as a legend within Utah Athletics, the NBA and Australia, which all adds up to a very memorable career.

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