Adelaide 36ers Take Aim at Sydney Kings Owner Andrew Bogut Over Allegations of Fat Shaming as NBL Tensions Rise

The Adelaide 36ers have taken a stand within the NBL, calling out Sydney Kings minority owner Andrew Bogut for allegedly verbally abusing their owner, Grant Kelley.

This confrontation escalated after game two of the NBL Finals, where a last-second layup from Bryce Cotton secured a thrilling victory for Adelaide.

Following the game, Kings standout Kendric Davis confronted Cotton, verbally challenging him in an aggressive manner.

Teammates had to step in to separate the two players, but the tension didn’t end there. Reports suggest that Bogut launched a string of expletives at Kelley as the players exited the court.

In that incident, Bogut allegedly referred to Kelley using derogatory terms.

However, Bogut disputes Adelaide’s account, claiming Kelley approached him first.

“I responded to him as he left, and he seems to be playing the victim now. This will be the last I comment on this entire ridiculous situation,” Bogut remarked.

The feud reignited on social media after the Kings secured victory in game three, taking a 2-1 lead in the series.

Bogut celebrated with a post that read: “Great win! One more to go!” and added, “Nice to get back to the locker room without issues tonight, possibly due to a rush to major sponsor Hungry Jacks’ drive-thru,” followed by four burger emojis.

In response, Adelaide released a statement condemning the “personal attacks” directed at Kelley.

“The 36ers recognise that body shaming is a serious issue that causes anxiety and emotional pain for individuals of all ages and genders. We also stand firmly against any form of cyberbullying,” the statement outlined.

“As such, we have notified the NBL of our concerns and will engage further with them and other relevant authorities throughout the off-season.”

The rivalry between these teams has been intensifying throughout the season, culminating in their current face-off in the finals.

In February, Bogut tweeted about the 36ers’ management situation, suggesting it was surprising that a team sitting atop the NBL ladder was discussing firing their head coach so close to the playoffs.

Davis, for his part, accused the league of manipulating the MVP award voting after placing second to Cotton for a second consecutive season.

The Kings will aim to clinch the NBL finals in game four when they meet the 36ers again on Wednesday night in Adelaide.

Bogut made his NBL return in 2018 after a successful 14-year NBA career, which included winning an NBA Championship with Golden State in 2015. He joined the ownership group of the Kings in 2021 following his retirement in 2020.