Tensions continue to simmer in the National Basketball League (NBL) following comments made by Sydney Kings minority owner and assistant coach Andrew Bogut. His public questioning of Adelaide 36ers’ internal leadership has prompted a denial, an official complaint, and a reported apology from the Kings’ coaching staff—though not from Bogut himself—as the league considers further action.
Bogut’s remarks came after Adelaide’s loss to the South East Melbourne Phoenix, with reports suggesting internal “crisis” meetings were being held regarding the future of 36ers head coach Mike Wells. Bogut took to social media platform X to express his surprise at the situation, stating, “Pretty wild league where the ‘leaders’ of your team meet to chat about firing your head coach, whilst you sit in first place on the NBL ladder with only a handful of games to go until the playoffs!”
Apologies and Reactions
The Kings have reportedly apologized to Adelaide, but Bogut was notably absent from the apology. According to 9 News Adelaide’s Will Crouch, “The Kings coaching staff—minus Bogut—have now apologized directly to 36ers GM Matt Weston.” Sources close to Fox Sports Australia indicate that Bogut has refused to issue an apology himself.
The comments are expected to be a topic of discussion at the upcoming NBL owners’ meeting, where there may be talks about introducing an ownership code of conduct. Meanwhile, rumors of a “crisis meeting” following Adelaide’s 20-point loss to the Phoenix were quickly dismissed by the 36ers.
The Adelaide 36ers’ Stand
36ers owner Grant Kelley addressed the situation on The FIVEAA Sports Show, expressing his disappointment over Bogut’s comments. Kelley stated, “It’s not something we would do. We wouldn’t allow our assistant coaches, let alone anyone in the organization, to comment on another club.”
Kelley also questioned the timing of the reports, given the club’s strong position atop the ladder. “Here’s the reality and the numbers don’t lie. You know, we’re 21-8… But that’s the best club record since the year of the Sydney Olympics,” he said, emphasizing the team’s successful season under Wells.
“It’s only the fifth time, by the way, in 44 years that we’ve had 20 or more wins and we’ve only had 21 wins twice.”
Before Wells’ appointment, the 36ers had cycled through four coaches in five seasons. Wells led the team to 13 wins and a sixth-place finish in his first year, winning a play-in game against the Kings before falling to the Phoenix with a semi-final berth on the line.
Future Prospects
With 21 wins and four games remaining, Kelley remains emphatic about Wells’ future. “One thousand per cent. There’s no way that we would, to any coach, let alone to Mike, who has that record, you know, countenance any form of change or switch or anything,” he asserted.
Kelley acknowledged recent struggles but reinforced the club’s broader direction. “We’ve got a couple of challenges we’ve got to fix, and we’re acutely aware of that. But we’re a very solid organization here,” he said, adding that the club is committed to building for the future with long-term player contracts.
“Our objective this year was to go close to the championship, maybe to win it. We are still well on track to do that.”
Despite the club’s strong position, Kelley admitted the past month hasn’t been ideal. “At the end of the day, people look at wins and losses. So we’ve got to be better than that and we’ve got to find a way to win,” he said, highlighting the importance of the remaining games.
As the focus shifts back to basketball, a potential finals meeting between the Kings and 36ers looms, adding another layer to their growing rivalry. The league and its fans now await the outcomes of the upcoming NBL owners’ meeting and the resolution of this controversy.
