He is who I am currently pulling for the Knicks to draft if they get into the position and it sure as hell looks that way.

WITH THE #1 PICK IN THE 2005 NBA DRAFT, THE KNICKS PICK...

You know who! heh

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/11/27/1069825917204.html?oneclick=true

From THE AGE: "Bogut proves a tough cookie"

By Stephen Howell
November 28, 2003

Andrew Bogut impressed for Australia during the junior world championships earlier this year.

Andrew Bogut turns 19 today. About two weeks ago, he came close to not making his birthday.

Australia's new basketball sensation, tipped to be the "male Lauren Jackson", was riding his bike to team practice at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City when he was hit by a car.

Bogut limped into practice, cut and bruised, and told head coach Rick Majerus and assistant Kerry Rupp that he had been in an accident.

Concerned, they ordered a trainer to take him to hospital to check him out. Bogut's response: "We'll do that, after practice."

Rupp told the story to Brian Goorjian, coach of the Australian team, the Boomers, when Goorjian made his weekly call to check on Bogut's progress at his new college. Goorjian told The Age the story to show how how strong-minded Bogut is in becoming a champion player.

He is a big fan of the Endeavour Hills youngster, whom he calls Bogart, and is becoming a bigger supporter by the phone call. After Bogut's most-valuable-player performance when Australia won the gold medal at the under-20 world titles in Croatia last year, Goorjian said the 211-centimetre forward-centre would be in the running for next year's Olympic team, provided he continued to improve.

Yesterday, after the rave reviews coming from Majerus, one of the United States' most respected coaches, Goorjian is expecting much more.

"I see him as a definite," he said of Bogut's Olympic selection. "I wouldn't be doing my job if he wasn't part of this thing.

"He is the best player in the world in his age group . . . My hope and my excitement is to have this young kid who has tremendous potential to be a major contributor this Olympic campaign."

Goorjian said Australian basketball needed a shot in the arm and Bogut was that shot, as Michael Jordan had been for American basketball and Jonny Wilkinson was for English rugby. "He could pass Andrew Gaze, and look at how great Andrew has been," Goorjian said.

However great Bogut might become, he could not lift Utah to victory over Texas Tech in a semi-final of the biggest college pre-season tournament, the NIT, in New York this week. The Utes lost 65-54, with Bogut scoring nine points - he hit 4-8 field shots - grabbing 13 rebounds and handing out five assists. Utah will play for bronze.

Bogut's progress has to be told second-hand because the university gags its freshmen.

Utah plays in the strong Mountain West conference, which starts next week. It has had two practice games and four tournament matches, and Bogut has drawn rave reviews - a dozen National Basketball Association scouts were at his first tournament games and the conference voted him player of the week.

Bogut's ambition is to play in the NBA. It seems he will not have to do the standard four years of college to get there, but will become a high draft pick after one or two years.

Praise comes not only from within the college or from Australians. CBS Sportsline.com said: "Word out of Salt Lake City (the opposing coaches in the league are all too aware of this) is that Bogut is the absolute real deal. The Aussie import dominated the junior world championships over the summer and has had that carry over to the Utes' scrimmages and exhibitions."

Bogut's "I'm going to be the best" attitude upset some people in Australian basketball, but it is admired in the US. With it remains the realisation that he has a lot to do. Before he left Melbourne for Salt Lake City, he said in an interview: "I can't wait to get there and get my arse kicked.

"That's the main reason why I wanna go. It would be so challenging getting dunked on, your shot spanked, outmuscled. That's what I need!"

And, it seems, it's what he is handing out.

I lived in Australia for 7 yrs until recently. I have seen him play in Aussie tournaments with my own eyes. He was just a great prospect a few years back. But he's gotten much, much better, as his body became more muscular and he improved his footwork.

In Australia, where men are proud to be "tough blokes", this kid was known and respected to be that. As a teenager he was reknown for his talent, hardwork, willingness to improve, toughness, and balanced personality off the court.

I think he could become as good as Rick Smits.

a few years in the lotto would be good for this team - we arent winning anything with what we have now. as long as we stay entertaining, the fans will stay

Bogut might be a good addition. An even better, but more long-term prospect would be Andriskevicius. He's trained by Arvydas Sabonis himself at Kaunas, maybe the best teacher you can get as a Center. He got some minutes in Euroleague this year, has tons of potential, but in no way is ready for the NBA. He must stay for 2-3 more years in Europe and then can come over, just like Nenad Krstic.
nbadraft.net gave us Petro a week ago, which I think would be a disaster as he is very lazy and I think will turn out to be a second Jerome Moiso. Wouldn't take Fran Vasquez either, he has good talent, but is thin as hell.

Rudy Fernandez would be my Top Pick, if we can't get a Center, as the guy has an already very mature game similar to Ginobili or Brent Barry. He will be my favourite player from this year's draft.

[Edited by - Redtowel on 01/26/2005 09:29:44]

Chris Taft....Chris Taft....Chris Taft....Chris Taft....

Posted by joec32033:

Not for nothing but Bogut looks alot like Cherokee Parks, no?

Looks like Kaman, Parks, oh, the kid is white?

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by BRIGGS:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=15490

for his size, he doesn't block too many shots. How is this kid different than Kaman?

I'd rather go after Boone or Warrick, athletic shotblockers who can rebound, score and run the floor with Marbury. Marbury needs horses to run with. I hope Zeke knows this.

I dont know why poeple are comparing him to Kaman. If you are comparing them, you havent seen either play, so the only comparison you could be thinking of is their color of skin.

Let me start off by saying Chris Kaman is going to be a very, very good C in this league. Just look at his play in the month of Jan[remember he turned 22 just recently and he came off injury] a couple fo 20-10 block shots several other double doubles, assits. Not an allstar, although it could be very plausible for a couple of years. I think the only worry with Kaman is can he stay healthy. If he stays healthy, he will gradually become a force.


Bogut is a different player. More of a versatile player with TREMENDOUS basketball IQ and fundamentals. I havent seen a guy his size handle the ball+pass like he can, with the rare exception of a few. You add in flawless footwork around the basket, a soft shot and long arms. If I could make a comparison, I would say a tad smaller version of Brad Miller, but with a higher upside. Not going to be a big time shot blocker, doesnt have the lateral quickness of an amare stoudemire, but more like a combination of Brad Miller Kevin mchale and a guy who plays with intelligence and intensity. he also has a very athletic build, cut up ripped so his 245 is hard 245. The differnce I see he is a guy who can really play 5-4. Hes a Sacremento king type player. he can play the high post and put up 7-8 assist games while putting up 16-18 points with 11-12 rebounds an a couple of blocks. that type of player. A team player who makes everyone better and can demand double teams in the post every time.

It would be nice to be able to add him+ a guy like Swift who has other assets Bogut doesnt poccess. It looks like it could be a nice synergy with a good PG like Marbury being able to take pressure off of himself

if we added Bogut and Swift with Sweetney and Nazr as backups, and fill in some holes at back up PG/SG amnd find a solution at SF? pehaps trading KT for Ruben Patterson with ariza as a back up?

Posted by Panos:

Posted by BRIGGS:

Posted by crzymdups:

Posted by BRIGGS:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/player/profile?playerId=15490

for his size, he doesn't block too many shots. How is this kid different than Kaman?

I'd rather go after Boone or Warrick, athletic shotblockers who can rebound, score and run the floor with Marbury. Marbury needs horses to run with. I hope Zeke knows this.

I dont know why poeple are comparing him to Kaman. If you are comparing them, you havent seen either play, so the only comparison you could be thinking of is their color of skin.

Let me start off by saying Chris Kaman is going to be a very, very good C in this league. Just look at his play in the month of Jan[remember he turned 22 just recently and he came off injury] a couple fo 20-10 block shots several other double doubles, assits. Not an allstar, although it could be very plausible for a couple of years. I think the only worry with Kaman is can he stay healthy. If he stays healthy, he will gradually become a force.


Bogut is a different player. More of a versatile player with TREMENDOUS basketball IQ and fundamentals. I havent seen a guy his size handle the ball+pass like he can, with the rare exception of a few. You add in flawless footwork around the basket, a soft shot and long arms. If I could make a comparison, I would say a tad smaller version of Brad Miller, but with a higher upside. Not going to be a big time shot blocker, doesnt have the lateral quickness of an amare stoudemire, but more like a combination of Brad Miller Kevin mchale and a guy who plays with intelligence and intensity. he also has a very athletic build, cut up ripped so his 245 is hard 245. The differnce I see he is a guy who can really play 5-4. Hes a Sacremento king type player. he can play the high post and put up 7-8 assist games while putting up 16-18 points with 11-12 rebounds an a couple of blocks. that type of player. A team player who makes everyone better and can demand double teams in the post every time.

It would be nice to be able to add him+ a guy like Swift who has other assets Bogut doesnt poccess. It looks like it could be a nice synergy with a good PG like Marbury being able to take pressure off of himself

if we added Bogut and Swift with Sweetney and Nazr as backups, and fill in some holes at back up PG/SG amnd find a solution at SF? pehaps trading KT for Ruben Patterson with ariza as a back up?

Briggs one question: is it possible to get him? It sounds like
he's going to go very high. What is your scenario that he ends up
here?

were going to have to lose many more games, we have to have a second have that is comparable or worse than the first half, perhaps 14-27 which coule leave us at 31-51

that would likely get us in as bottom 5-7 and then we need some luck like every other club.