Andrew Bogut has defended fellow Australian, and soon-to-be NBA finals foe, Matthew Dellavedova from claims the guard is a dirty player.
Bogut also offered a badly-needed lesson to the US media about the differences between Australian rules, rugby league and rugby union.
The 213cm tall Bogut will be one of the Golden State Warriors' keys when the team takes on Dellavedova's Cleveland Cavaliers in game one of the NBA Finals in Oakland on Thursday (Friday AEST).
"I don't think he's intentionally trying to take guys' legs out," Bogut, discussing the furore around Dellavedova's rugged play, told reporters at the Warriors' practice facility on Friday.
"Some people might think that, but that's just because he plays hard.
"You have to know going into a game against a guy like that you can't go in half-hearted to any contest.
"Any 50:50 loose balls he will dive into whatever he has to get them."
Bogut said that is how basketball is taught in Australia and compared it to Australian rules and other sports children grow up playing in his homeland.
Whether it is with former rugby league star Jarryd Hayne trying out for the NFL's San Francisco 49ers or discussing what sport Dellavedova grew up playing, US reporters and commentators have had trouble distinguishing Australia's football codes.
Bogut said he had a chuckle when he heard a US TV commentator tell millions of American TV viewers during a discussion about rough play how Dellavedova played "rugby" back in Australia.
Dellavedova, of course, grew up in country Victoria playing Australian rules and in the AFL is a mad Collingwood fan.
Bogut grew up in Melbourne playing Australian rules and is devoted to Essendon.
"You are kind of born with the football in your hand," Bogut, describing Victoria's love of Australian rules, said.
Americans, he added, need to understand the football codes are different.
"I chuckled hearing an analyst say he (Dellavedova) played rugby," Bogut said.
"It's like comparing American football to golf.
"I've played Australian rules football - it's not rugby.
"It's a completely different game so I would encourage people who are ignorant to other countries in the world to go on the internet and look it up.
"It's quite frustrating."
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