Australian Fans Take To Twitter To Woo Bogut

Forget Jimmer-Mania, it’s Bogut-Mania down under.

A lot of international NBA players are considering playing for their home country until the NBa season begins. San Antonio Spurs’ Tony Parker, Los Angeles Lakers’ Pau Gasol are just two in a sea of players considering such a move but is Milwaukee Bucks’ Andrew Bogut next?

His fans in Australia are sure making it hard for him to say no.

Currently, a few Australian teams from the National Basketball League are courting Bogut to join their respective club and the Gold Coast Blaze fans are mounting a full on Twitter assault to sway Bogut’s decision.

Blaze fans took to Twitter with the #Bouges4Blaze campaign and officials with the squad are urging fans to maintain the momentum.

Blaze chief executive Paul Pamenter has urged the club’s fans to maintain Bogut-mania.

He said the support “certainly helps” the club’s efforts to lure Bogut to the Coast.

Bogut’s management group did thank his fans but in the end, the insurance issue still needs to be ironed out.

His agent, Bruce Kaider, said last night that until those issues were sorted out by international body FIBA and insurance companies, no NBL deal would be looked at in detail.

“We wouldn’t put him at risk (if the insurance issue wasn’t sorted out),” Kaider said.

Indeed the insurance issue must be taken care of seeing how Bogut came back from a horrific arm injury and should he play in Australia. It also should be of some comfort for the Bucks as well seeing how he is their main weapon on the court.

And aside from the business end of any move to Australia, Bogut is more focused on his basketball legacy.

“It’s not about money at his end,” Pamenter said of Bogut’s desire to play in Australia. “It’s about the legacy he can leave for the NBL and where it’s best for him to go to do that.”

This social media fan campaign could ignite other fans from around the globe to urge their hometown player back home – especially if that player is on the fence about his decision. This is just another example of the reach social media outlets and how effective they can be.

As mentioned, the Blaze are not the only team looking to sign Bogut. The Sydney Kings and the Adelaide 36ers are also in the mix for his services.

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