Bogut joins staff of Australian team he co-owns

SYDNEY — Andrew Bogut is joining Brian Goorjian’s coaching staff at the Sydney Kings in a bid to help the club he part owns win a National Basketball League championship in Australia.

Bogut spent 14 years in the NBA after being the No. 1 pick in the 2005 draft and won a championship with Golden State Warriors in 2015. He played for the Australian Boomers at three Olympics.

Goorjian has won six NBL titles as a coach and worked with Bogut in the Boomers setup.

“Being a three-time Olympian and an NBA champion, Andrew has a blue-chip pedigree,” Goorjian said Wednesday. “His knowledge of the game is elite, and I know he will be a very valuable addition to our coaching staff.”

Goorjian said he had a strong relationship with Bogut, and “I am excited and feel fortunate to have someone of his caliber by my side. This will be a huge season for the Kings.”

Bogut retired in 2020 after two seasons playing with the Kings, and he joined the club’s ownership group the following year.

“Being away from the game for five years, the itch to get back on the court was growing stronger with time,” Bogut said. “Coaching is something I’m passionate about, and I can’t wait to help drive this team forward.”

Bogut was the first Australian to be selected with the No. 1 pick in the NBA draft, by the Milwaukee Bucks in 2005, and he won an NBA championship a decade later with the Warriors. He played 14 NBA seasons for the Bucks, Warriors, Dallas Mavericks and Cleveland Cavaliers before joining Sydney in 2018.

The Kings finished fifth of 10 teams in the NBL this season.