Close fight but Bogut nails MVP honours
ANDREW Bogut has spent a season under the guidance of Andrew Gaze, so it’s only fitting he collected the NBL’S highest individual honour named after his coach.
Bogut capped off a stellar maiden season with the Sydney Kings last night when he was named the NBL’S MVP at a gala function at the Crown Casino in Melbourne.
The former NBA champion was voted the league’s premier player by a select panel, plus the coaches and captains, taking home the Andrew Gaze medal.
Gaze won a record seven MVPS as a player with the Melbourne Tigers. Bogut will now join his Kings’ coach in the record books.
The former No.1 draft pick is the first centre to win the NBL MVP since Chris Anstey at the Melbourne Tigers 12 seasons ago.
Bogut edged out Melbourne’s Casper Ware and Perth’s Bryce Cotton in one of the closest MVP races in history.
The Kings marquee man was considered the best due to his overall impact.
Bogut has transformed Sydney from league struggles to one of the contenders.
He has also helped the Kings go from the worst defensive team to one of the best.
It’s why Bogut was also named Defensive Player of the Year.
He also played all 28 games for the Kings in the regular season while he led the league in rebounds and blocks.
Remarkably, he had 77 block shots in the regular season – the second best in Sydney franchise history behind Matt Nielsen, who had 89 blocks in 33 games in the 2003-04 season.