The Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers faced off in another preseason game on Thursday live on TNT, but before that happened, we got to learn just how much respect Roy Hibbert has for Andrew Bogut’s game.
Hibbert is expected to make an impact as a defensive stopper for the Lakers this season and when asked during an interview with Rachel Nichols about the role he’s going to have with his new team, the center quickly praised the role of Bogut on the Warriors and his desire to have the same kind of role with the Lakers.
“What if I can be that cog like Andrew Bogut,” said Hibbert. “Be the big guy who defends, rebounds and facilitates. And, you know, I can accept that role. We have great scorers, great young guys and you have the greatest player in Kobe Bryant. So, there’s not that need for me on that offensive end so much, but defensively just being a presence. I kind of like, see Bogut. I’m a 7’2″, black Bogut, I would say.”
So that’s a lot of unexpected love from Hibbert towards Bogut, who was completely caught off guard by the comments and reacted the only way he knew how:
???? thanks? — Andrew Bogut (@andrewbogut) October 23, 2015
Although Bogut is presumably joking around in a playful manner about the whole “black Bogut” thing, it’s a sign of serious respect from Hibbert and Bogut, in all likelihood, does appreciate the overall compliment from one defensive center to another.
Jim Park is a blogger and editor of Sheridan Hoops. Follow him on twitter @SheridanBlog.