From nbl.com.au :
Andrew Bogut keeps getting asked about the NBL, and those in the NBA are listening after his stellar start to the Playoffs with the Golden State Warriors.
Speaking with the Daily Telegraph’s Matt Logue, Bogut has opened up on the added intrigue in the NBL he is seeing in NBA circles.
“People are now genuinely intrigued,” Bogut told The Daily Telegraph.
“I think this is a perfect storm for the NBL, especially for myself to come over here and play valuable minutes for a championship contending team.
“People over here are now thinking, ‘what is going on down there in Australia?’
“That league must be pretty good if I can come back in this shape and this form.
“It’s great for our league in Australia and it is great to get some more exposure.
“Even asking questions about it. They would have never have thought to bother with that in the past.”
So much has the stature grown, Bogut believes that the NBL should be the destination for fringe NBA players with the benefits outweighing even EuroLeague clubs.
“There are fringe NBA guys that might want to go and play somewhere for a year or two and I think we could be that No.1 destination,” he said.
“The EuroLeague is always very hard to compete with but at least the Australian NBL is provides stability.
“It is an English speaking country, you get paid on time and paid by what you sign and it finishes in February or March.
“I think there are a lot of positives to what the NBL is doing.”
Bogut has attributed much of his success in his latest NBA stint to the competitiveness of the NBL season where he was named the League’s Most Valuable Player after a season with Sydney that culminated in a Finals series against Melbourne United.
“There are nine teams, not a lot of roster spots with the way the rules are now with developing players, so it is as competitive as can be.
“We’re seeing that with the quality imports we are getting now on an annual basis and we have more and more Australian guys coming from Europe.”
The Golden State Warriors will look to close out their opening round Playoff series with the LA Clippers today, with Bogut once again holding down the middle in the starting centre role.
Just last week, Bogut doubled down on his commitment to the Sydney Kings, assuring fans that he will return to the NBL for the 2019/20 season even if another NBA contract comes his way.
