April 24 (UPI) -- Veteran center Andrew Bogut has retired from the NBA and is joining Australia's National Basketball League.

Bogut, 33, announced the decision on Monday.


"It was one of those things that has been in the back of the mind for the last couple of years," Bogut said at a news conference. "Obviously I played 13 years in the NBA. The back of my mind was not if, but when I'm going to come back to the NBL. I feel like I've got a lot left in the tank to come back in a situation where I can still play at a high level, rather than waiting [until age] 36-37-38. Who knows how I'm moving at that point?"

"The Kings put together more than a professional proposal. One thing I'll say is that this is a world-class NBA-level negotiation. I think it was more of a partnership. It was world-class. I've been in rooms with the best GMs and owners in the world and I'm not just saying this."

There’s a new King in the NBL 🤴🏻 as @andrewbogut officially joins the @SydneyKings on a 2 year deal #NBL19 pic.twitter.com/PwFxKFW8fi — NBL (@NBL) April 23, 2018

The 13-year journeyman was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2005 NBA Draft. He played his first seven seasons with the Milwaukee Bucks, before getting traded to the Golden State Warriors during the 2012 offseason. He was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in 2016 and again to the Philadelphia 76ers in 2017, before being waived.

Bogut joined the Cleveland Cavaliers in March of 2017, but was injured in his first game and missed the rest of the season. He signed a contract with the Los Angeles Lakers in Sept., but was waived in Jan.

His new contract does not include European or NBA outs. Bogut said he had two NBA teams interested in signing him.

"In what ranks as the biggest signing in the history of the National Basketball League, Andrew Bogut will be a Sydney King for the next two seasons," the Kings said in a statement.

"The 33-year-old Bogut joins the Kings in time for its upcoming 30th anniversary season in the NBL."

The 7-foot, 260-pound center was never an All-Star, but was a 2009-2010 third-team All-NBA selection.

The Melbourne, Australia, native led the league in blocks in 2010. Bogut averaged 1.6 points and 3.4 rebounds per game this season for the Lakers. He averaged 15.9 points, 10.2 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game during his best season, which came in 2009 for the Bucks.

Bogut won the NBA Finals in 2015 with the Warriors.

The Kings currently rank No. 7 in league standings, with an 11-17 record.

Bogut's deal includes a stake in the franchise.

The Australian big man announced in March that he would not be returning for the remainder of the NBA season due to the death of his grandfather and his wife's high-risk pregnancy. He remained with his wife in his native country during the pregnancy.