Andrew Bought underlined his all-round value to the Sydney Kings in a debut cameo, while fellow recruit Daniel Kickert hit the headlines for all the right reasons on Friday.
Star power: Andrew Bogut takes on Hogland Hugh of Japan.
Playing in the Kings' first pre-season game against the Japan national team in Sydney, former NBA centre Bogut finished his first game since January with four points, five rebounds and six assists.
He played for just over 15 minutes, all of it logged before half-time in the Kings' 77-57 win against a Japan team that included eight of the squad that beat Australia in a World Cup Asian qualifying match in June.
Bogut played almost the first nine minutes of the first quarter and the last six-and-a-half minutes of the second.
The 33-year-old centre missed his first shot, but connected with his two other attempts in the opening quarter, nailing a left-handed hook to open his account in Kings colours.
The former NBA No.1 draft pick showed his passing range, setting up successive second-quarter buckets, one with a classic back-door assist.
Sydney's other big-man recruit, Kickert, top-scored with 24 points in his first hit-out since Australia's infamous World Cup qualifier in the Philippines.
Kickert, who was suspended for five Asian Qualifying games by world governing body FIBA for his behaviour in that match, displayed his renowned sweet long-range shooting touch, dropping six of eight three-point attempts.
AAP
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