22
Jan
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NBL big man's turning point to live his 'authentic self'
AJ Ogilvy of the Hawks watches on during the round 19 NBL match between the Illawarra Hawks and Melbourne United at WIN Entertainment Centre, on May 18, 2021, in Wollongong, Australia. Photo: Mark Kolbe/Getty Images
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The courage of another sportsman has changed everything for former NBL big man AJ Ogilvy
- AJ Ogilvy's NBL career spanned from 2015-2022, playing for the Sydney Kings and Illawarra Hawks
- He attended Vanderbilt University where he became only the second player in Commodore history to record 1000 points and 100 blocks in his career
- Ogilvy was a three-time All-NBL First Team member in 2014, 2016 and 2017
Three-time All-NBL First Team big man AJ Ogilvy has come out as gay as the NBL launches its Pride Round.
Throughout a 12-year professional basketball career that included stops in Turkey, Spain and Germany, as well as Illawarra and Sydney, Ogilvy never felt comfortable making his sexuality public, writes Michael Randall from CODE Sports Basketball.
But, three years after Adelaide big man Isaac Humphries became the world’s only active professional basketballer to come out, Ogilvy revealed he has been married for nearly 18 months to a man he met during the 2013-14 season while playing in Sydney.
“I was very lucky with my career, I got to travel the world and get paid to play basketball, which is such a privilege,” Ogilvy said.
“(But I) probably didn’t live my life as authentically as I probably could have during my time, especially in the NBL.
“There was a level of recognition and knowledge around it, but just not openness.
“I viewed it as just my business.”
Ogilvy said he used two social media accounts to keep his public and private life separate.
“There just wasn’t positive portrayals of gay relationships growing up," he said.
“It was more it’s going to be a sad life, a lonely life, definitely weighed on me pretty heavily.”
In a special interview with Humphries for the NBL, Ogilvy said his friend’s decision to go public with his sexuality was a turning point.
“A bunch of my friends started sending me the video: ‘Hey, you see this about Isaac?’,” he said.
“That was just such a huge moment, not just in the NBL, but basketball across the world.
“Hugely beneficial to have someone of your stature and attitude be able to step forward and proudly say, ‘This is who you are’.”
Ogilvy, now 37 and living in Sydney, said Humphries’ decision, coupled with the NBL’s move to recognise the LGBTQ+ community through Pride Round, helped him feel comfortable with going public.
For the full story on CODE Sports Basketball, click here.
