[DevinHarriswillstart]

Bucks' Bogut Shoots From The Lip
18th July, 2005 - 6:20 am
St. Paul Pioneer Press - For all the prestige that goes with being the top pick in the NBA draft, Milwaukee center Andrew Bogut might be best known for his, gasp, honesty.

Bogut has been criticized for his critical opinions of fellow Australian basketball players, including Luc Longley, but he continues to speak his mind.

In today's world, where seemingly all athletes strive for political correctness, Bogut is an exception.

"I just think it's important to be yourself," said Bogut. "If I don't look good by the things I say, that's something I'm going to live with. I'm still going to say things people aren't going to like, just like everybody."

The spotlight has magnified his recent comments to reporters on a range of topics:

On Longley, who won three championships with Chicago in the 1990s on teams carried by Michael Jordan: "I've had a better collegiate career than anyone else from Australia that came over here. I'm not as slow as Luc Longley. I'm more athletic. I can shoot better. I'm more competitive. So I think it's not even fair to bring that name up," Bogut told the AP.

On the NBA lifestyle of traveling entourages: "I'll probably have some people come in that I haven't seen for 20 years, and I'm going to tell them straight out, I don't want nothing to do with you. I'm not a posse guy. I'm not going to have a bunch of guys rolling around with me, playing PlayStation and paying them money. I don't see the point in that."

Bogut stands by his comments, though he said the reference to Longley was taken out of context.

"I basically said there's no comparison," Bogut clarified this weekend after one of his summer league games. "We're two different players. I'm more of a four-five. He's a pure five. That got turned into, 'Andrew Bogut (dumps) all over Luc Longley.' That's just how it is. Australian media is some of the worst media in the world, I think."



"Australian media is some of the worst media in the world, I think."


Son, nobody cares about a thinker who speaks his/her mind. They just care about morons who pretend to think and make themselves look bad. I can't believe this guy. He is going to isolate himself really quick if he isn't careful.