Basketball: Bogut puts playing future on hold in uncertain times

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Former NBA champion Andrew Bogut has decided not to commit to another season at the Sydney Kings while there is still uncertainty about the future because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 35-year-old centre has played the last two seasons in Australia’s National Basketball League (NBL) for the Kings with a spell back at the Golden State Warriors in between.

“I have decided not to sign with the Sydney Kings, or any professional sporting team for that matter for the time being,” Bogut wrote on Twitter.

“This by no means is a retirement note, but simply saying any concrete decisions are too hard to be made at this point in time.

“My body is enjoying a break after playing basketball for 19 straight months and I hope to be back on a basketball court in the near future.”

Bogut won a championship ring with the Warriors in 2015 and has also suited up for the Milwaukee Bucks, Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland Cavaliers and LA Lakers in the NBA.

He was league MVP in his first season in the NBL and helped the Kings to the grand final in the following campaign, where they were trailing the Perth Wildcats 2-1 when the five-game series was called off due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

Perth were awarded the title in a decision that triggered a furious reaction from Bogut, who said the way the situation had been handled by the NBL had left him “beyond embarrassed and disappointed”.

The next NBL season is scheduled to tip off in October.