The tension in the 2026 NBL Championship Series has continued to spill off the court, with Adelaide 36ers issuing a strong rebuke of what they view as "persistent and repeated personal attacks by a Sydney Kings co-owner and assistant coach".
The statement from the 36ers came a day after the team's loss to the Kings in Game 3 of the Championship Series, and is referring to Andrew Bogut, the three-time Olympian and one-time NBA champion who had a run-in with 36ers owner Grant Kelley following a competitive Game 2 on Friday.
Kelley -- who's owned the 36ers since 2017 - had a fiery exchange of words with Bogut following the 36ers' Game 2 win at the buzzer. Kelley approached Bogut, who then allegedly called the 36ers' owner a 'fat f---ing c---', before the pair were guided their separate ways. ESPN witnessed the incident.
After the Kings' Game 3 win on Sunday afternoon, Bogut posted a story on Instagram that read, "Great win! One more to go! Nice to get back to the locker room unencumbered tonight, in what one can only assume was a rush to major sponsor Hungry Jacks drive-thru outlet."
The post was accompanied by four burger emojis.
That post from Bogut -- as well as a caption-less image of Peter Griffin from the animated sitcom Family Guy posted on X -- seemingly led to the 36ers' statement on Monday, where the team says it has "given notice to the NBL".
"The Adelaide 36ers are aware of persistent and repeated personal attacks by a Sydney Kings co-owner and assistant coach directed towards our owner Grant Kelley," the statement read.
The Sydney Kings take a 2-1 series lead in the NBL Championship Series, winning Game 3 by 13 points.
"The 36ers understand that body shaming is not a joke but rather, a very real source of anxiety and emotional distress for people of all genders and ages. We also stand against cyber-bullying in all its forms.
"Accordingly, we have today given notice to the NBL of our concerns and will address the matter further with them and other regulatory authorities during the NBL off season.
"For now, our attention returns to creating another fantastic home court environment for our fans, coaches and players to be at their best in Game Four of the NBL Championship Series on Wednesday night."
When approached for comment, Bogut told ESPN: "I was promoting a fantastic league sponsor in Hungry Jacks."
"Emotions run high during Championships, which we have seen from both sides over the past three games," Kings CEO Mark Thompson said in a statement.
"This series is shaping up to be one of the greats, and our focus is on supporting our players, coaches, support staff, and fans, and what happens on the court is our number one priority. As a club, we do not support any commentary from either team that goes beyond the court."
Bogut and Kelley have a tense history that goes back several years, but came to a head earlier this season.
In February, Bogut made public comments on X about an alleged meeting within the 36ers regarding head coach Mike Wells' future with the team. Kelley denied the claim and lobbied for a social media Code of Conduct for team officials and an apology from the Kings. Bogut responded by posting a photo of Peter Griffin.
The Kings' Game 3 win gave them a 2-1 series lead over the 36ers, putting them one victory away from a third championship in five seasons. Game 4 of the Championship Series is on Wednesday evening in Adelaide.
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