EXCLUSIVE — Andrew Bogut has opened up to Fox Sports News about the devastating leg break that almost cost him his career, the physical and mental frustration he experienced during his rehab and also hinted at a swift return to the NBA.

Bogut suffered a left leg break just four days after signing with the Cleveland Cavaliers in March earlier this year.

Though the injury threatened to abruptly end his 12-year career in the league, the Aussie has been tirelessly working on getting back to full fitness and is now on the brink of sealing a new deal for the 2017-18 NBA season.

“I anticipate something getting done in about a week or two’s time,” Bogut told Fox Sports News’ Tom Chadwick.

“We’ve sent all the scans to teams that are interested and they’ve got those, they’re happy with them and they’ve started discussions now.”

Bogut couldn’t say who the “handful of teams” showing interest were.

“We’re just waiting for a few big dogs to sign their deals so we know how much cap space is available,” Bogut said.

Andrew Bogut reacts after getting hurt while playing the Miami Heat on March 6, 2017. Source: Getty Images

AFTER THE BREAK

The 2015 NBA champion revealed his mental and physical struggle in the aftermath of the season-ending injury. Understandably it was a difficult adjustment to go from training every day to face the best in the world in the NBA, to being immobile, stuck on the couch patiently waiting for his bone to heal, and relying on the support of others for basic tasks.

“The past few months [since the injury] have been alright; the first four weeks were brutal,” Bogut said.

“I had just moved to Cleveland with my wife and a newborn and I didn’t have an apartment yet. So I broke my leg, I was about to move into my apartment the next day, obviously didn’t go through with that.

“I was in a hotel basically on my bum for four weeks where the missus had to get breakfast, lunch and dinner. I was stuck watching TV or on the computer all day which you can only do for a couple of hours before you’re bored out of your brains.

“A friend of mine called me and he said be very careful because depression is a huge chance for people that break their leg.”

In the moment immediately after the “crack” on court, the 7-foot centre said he believed his career was over, then and there.

“My career flashed before my eyes. I was out of contract, and you think the worst when those things happen,” Bogut said.

“Some conversations that I had with my agent David Bauman over there I can’t really repeat them, but they were along those lines with a lot of f-bombs and whatnot.”

‘IT WAS MY FAULT’

‘Hindsight is 20/20’ as they say, and Bogut honestly admitted the whole incident that caused the injury could have been avoided if he had played a bit smarter in his Cavaliers debut.

“I think part of it was my fault. I was running around like a chook with its head cut off,” he said.

“First game, new club, you’re trying to impress and earn minutes and fit in, and I was just trying to fly everywhere. I probably shouldn’t have flown out to the guy that drove by me, he wasn’t even really my man, and I got there late.

“I heard the crack and I thought it was him. So I looked at him and then he sprung back up straight away, I was like, ‘Uh-oh, must not be him’.

“I’ve done stuff to my shin before ... but this was a little different. It was delayed and then all of a sudden it started throbbing.

“Their bench heard the crack, I heard the crack, and the rest was history.”

ON THE MEND

The progress has been very promising since that horrendous injury in March.

Bogut said the scans sent to teams at the negotiation table were all received well, and that his rehabilitation process is set to accelerate even further since being able to resume some training recently.

“I’m hoping in 2-3 more weeks I’ll be fully clear to be jumping around and doing the high impact stuff,” he said.

“It’s one of those things that once I got through that initial phase and I could get moving again and out of the house a little bit, that really helped me.

“Now that I feel like I’m moving around doing some jogging, doing some light shooting, and lifting weights everyday, it feels great.”

WATCH THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE PLAYER ABOVE