Andrew Bogut came into the league as Milwaukee Bucks’ first overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft with a lot of promise. The 7-foot big man drew a lot of attention from scouts before the Draft, but it took him some time to show his value. Although the level of scoring he generated was not as expected, he contributed with intangibles that would go unnoticed at the time.
Seven seasons as a Buck
The Bucks, at the time, needed a solid center to complement shooting guard Michael Redd. With that in mind, they skipped over prospects like Chris Paul and Deron Williams to go for Bogut. Bogut became an impact player during his rookie season, averaging 9.4 points, 7.0 rebounds, and 2.3 assists. However, being the first pick, a lot more was expected from him. His inability to be consistent from the free-throw line also weighed on him.
Bogut showed developments and had a breakout season in 2009-10, finishing with an average of 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks. Bogut contributed exceptionally on the defensive end, even leading the league with the most blocks in the following season. However, in his seven-season stint with the Bucks, they made the playoffs only once – in his rookie year.
Best performances
During the 2009-10 season, Bogut played like a man on a mission. He had 19 games scoring 20+ points and two 30+ points games. His best scoring performance of the season came against the Dallas Mavericks when he scored 32 points – shooting 92.9% from the field. The Bucks lost the game by a point, but they could see the Bogut they imagined while drafting him.
Andrew was known for his ability to grab boards authoritatively, but he outdid himself one night during the 2010-11 season. He struggled to make his shots that night but grabbed 27 rebounds against the Miami Heat – going up against big men like Chris Bosh and Zydrunas Ilgauskas. The game went into overtime, where the Bucks were outscored 10-6 and lost a well-fought battle.
All in all, Bogut was always on the verge of making that next step, but he never quite fulfilled the expectations of being a #1 pick. He still built a good and long career in the NBA, which could have been even better if the Australian was not hampered by injuries.
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