ducks
07-20-2005, 07:39 PM
Top pick Bogut adjusting to NBA life
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer
July 19, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Andrew Bogut felt like he had just been run over by a truck.
David Harrison, the 280-pound Indiana Pacers center, lowered his shoulder and buried the NBA's No. 1 draft pick, then softly laid in a bucket.
Welcome to the NBA, Mr. Bogut.
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``He was grinding me out down there,'' Bogut said. ``Definitely a guy I can learn off. He definitely took me to school.''
The Milwaukee Bucks center was ejected from that game Monday at the Minnesota summer league for tussling with center John Edwards. But he bounced back on Tuesday, capping the five-day event with 16 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks in a 98-91 loss to New York.
It was an interesting few days for the Australian in his NBA debut. One day, he scores 21 points and grabs 13 rebounds in a game against the Rockets. The next, he is thoroughly dominated by Harrison before being thrown out by the officials.
It's all part of the process, Bogut says.
``It was more of a learning experience than anything,'' he said. ``I didn't come in and say I want to average 20 and 10. I wasn't worried about numbers.''
In five games, Bogut averaged 13.2 points and 10 rebounds, numbers that were slightly skewed thanks to a surprisingly quick trigger by the officials in the Indiana game. He finished with just 6 points on 1-of-7 shooting in 26 minutes in that game.
He still managed to lead the summer league in rebounds and learned what life in the NBA is like as a 7-foot-1, 255-pound target.
``Definitely,'' Bogut said. ``That's how it is. A big white guy, the No. 1 pick, nobody likes that.''
Many of the rookies and unproven veteran centers at the league saw Bogut as a way to get noticed, perhaps none more than Harrison.
The second-year player went right at Bogut early and often in their matchup, hitting turnaround jumpers and dunking over the exasperated rookie.
``He's not a (traditional center),'' the bruising Harrison said. ``He's a typical triangle-type center. I just knew that if I got him on my back, I was stronger than him.''
Harrison proved that on numerous occasions in the first half of their game, scoring 14 points to Bogut's 5 and getting him to commit four fouls.
His frustration growing, Bogut was ejected in the third quarter after getting tangled with Edwards, who appeared to shove him to the ground under the basket. Bogut bounced off the court and went after Edwards and the two players had to be separated.
It was a questionable decision by the officials to eject both players, but Bogut took everything in stride.
``I needed the rest anyway,'' he said, cracking a grin.
Milwaukee assistant Bob Ociepka saw the skirmish as a good sign.
``He gets knocked down, gets right back up and is not going to take anything from anybody,'' Ociepka said. ``In this league, as a rookie, you're going to be tested and he showed his toughness to come right back at somebody. That was encouraging.''
Harrison acknowledged that he was looking forward to facing Bogut, the one big-name center in Minneapolis, and he couldn't hide the grin on his face when asked about his performance against the top pick.
``I just wanted to dunk it as hard as I possibly could,'' Harrison said.
That said, he has no doubt that Bogut will be just fine in the NBA.
``He just doesn't know any better. He'll get better with time. Everybody does,'' Harrison said. ``He's a good passer and he has really good body movement.''
Ociepka said he can't wait to see what Bogut can do with the likes of Michael Redd, Bobby Simmons and Jiri Welsch on the perimeter to draw attention away from the big man.
``He has a good understanding of the game and that, combined with his talent, is real encouraging,'' Ociepka said. ``This is a heckuva start for him. We're really excited about it.''
For now, it's back to Australia for Bogut, who said he plans to concentrate on improving his jumper and adding some weight so he can bang with the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming under the basket.
And with the Bucks sinking serious money into Redd, Simmons and Welsch this offseason, Bogut sees good things happening in Milwaukee, and soon.
``They want to win,'' Bogut said. ``It's a good situation to be in. I like the direction we're going.''
By JON KRAWCZYNSKI, AP Sports Writer
July 19, 2005
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) -- Andrew Bogut felt like he had just been run over by a truck.
David Harrison, the 280-pound Indiana Pacers center, lowered his shoulder and buried the NBA's No. 1 draft pick, then softly laid in a bucket.
Welcome to the NBA, Mr. Bogut.
ADVERTISEMENT
``He was grinding me out down there,'' Bogut said. ``Definitely a guy I can learn off. He definitely took me to school.''
The Milwaukee Bucks center was ejected from that game Monday at the Minnesota summer league for tussling with center John Edwards. But he bounced back on Tuesday, capping the five-day event with 16 points, 14 rebounds and two blocks in a 98-91 loss to New York.
It was an interesting few days for the Australian in his NBA debut. One day, he scores 21 points and grabs 13 rebounds in a game against the Rockets. The next, he is thoroughly dominated by Harrison before being thrown out by the officials.
It's all part of the process, Bogut says.
``It was more of a learning experience than anything,'' he said. ``I didn't come in and say I want to average 20 and 10. I wasn't worried about numbers.''
In five games, Bogut averaged 13.2 points and 10 rebounds, numbers that were slightly skewed thanks to a surprisingly quick trigger by the officials in the Indiana game. He finished with just 6 points on 1-of-7 shooting in 26 minutes in that game.
He still managed to lead the summer league in rebounds and learned what life in the NBA is like as a 7-foot-1, 255-pound target.
``Definitely,'' Bogut said. ``That's how it is. A big white guy, the No. 1 pick, nobody likes that.''
Many of the rookies and unproven veteran centers at the league saw Bogut as a way to get noticed, perhaps none more than Harrison.
The second-year player went right at Bogut early and often in their matchup, hitting turnaround jumpers and dunking over the exasperated rookie.
``He's not a (traditional center),'' the bruising Harrison said. ``He's a typical triangle-type center. I just knew that if I got him on my back, I was stronger than him.''
Harrison proved that on numerous occasions in the first half of their game, scoring 14 points to Bogut's 5 and getting him to commit four fouls.
His frustration growing, Bogut was ejected in the third quarter after getting tangled with Edwards, who appeared to shove him to the ground under the basket. Bogut bounced off the court and went after Edwards and the two players had to be separated.
It was a questionable decision by the officials to eject both players, but Bogut took everything in stride.
``I needed the rest anyway,'' he said, cracking a grin.
Milwaukee assistant Bob Ociepka saw the skirmish as a good sign.
``He gets knocked down, gets right back up and is not going to take anything from anybody,'' Ociepka said. ``In this league, as a rookie, you're going to be tested and he showed his toughness to come right back at somebody. That was encouraging.''
Harrison acknowledged that he was looking forward to facing Bogut, the one big-name center in Minneapolis, and he couldn't hide the grin on his face when asked about his performance against the top pick.
``I just wanted to dunk it as hard as I possibly could,'' Harrison said.
That said, he has no doubt that Bogut will be just fine in the NBA.
``He just doesn't know any better. He'll get better with time. Everybody does,'' Harrison said. ``He's a good passer and he has really good body movement.''
Ociepka said he can't wait to see what Bogut can do with the likes of Michael Redd, Bobby Simmons and Jiri Welsch on the perimeter to draw attention away from the big man.
``He has a good understanding of the game and that, combined with his talent, is real encouraging,'' Ociepka said. ``This is a heckuva start for him. We're really excited about it.''
For now, it's back to Australia for Bogut, who said he plans to concentrate on improving his jumper and adding some weight so he can bang with the likes of Shaquille O'Neal and Yao Ming under the basket.
And with the Bucks sinking serious money into Redd, Simmons and Welsch this offseason, Bogut sees good things happening in Milwaukee, and soon.
``They want to win,'' Bogut said. ``It's a good situation to be in. I like the direction we're going.''