Retired Australian Basketball Star Andrew Ogilvy Comes Out as Gay During NBL Pride Round

Andrew Ogilvy, a retired Australian professional basketball player widely known as AJ, has come out as gay. The 37-year-old former center made the announcement in an interview with Isaac Humphries, an openly gay player for the Adelaide 36ers, as part of the NBL's fourth annual Pride Round.

Ogilvy, who retired in 2022 after a distinguished career, played 218 NBL games, primarily with the Illawarra Hawks, where he led the team to a grand final in 2017. He was a three-time All-NBL First Team selection and also competed professionally in Spain, Turkey, and Germany, winning a Basketball Bundesliga championship. During his time with the Sydney Kings in the 2013/14 season, Ogilvy met his longtime partner, to whom he has been married for 18 months.

In the interview, Ogilvy explained his decision to share his identity publicly, stating, "There's now a place for us to have this conversation, to be able to talk as openly as this. He added, "If people want to talk to someone, people want to be able to ask opinions, ask questions, it gives them someone else to reach to. Ogilvy reflected on his playing days, noting he "probably didn't live life as authentically as probably could have during time, especially in the NBL. He acknowledged that some teammates were aware of his relationship but that he felt it was private business at the time.

Ogilvy credited societal shifts, including Australia's 2017 marriage equality vote, for influencing his perspective, though he remained closeted publicly during that period despite being vocal in support. He also drew inspiration from Humphries, who came out in 2022 while playing for Melbourne United, becoming the second active men's professional basketball player to do so after NBA center Jason Collins in 2013. Ogilvy said of Humphries, " hugely beneficial to have someone of your stature and attitude be able to step forward and say this is who you are.

Humphries, who remains on the roster of the ladder-leading Adelaide 36ers—aiming for their first championship since 2002—welcomed Ogilvy's announcement. "It's not about forcing or anything, it's just a bit of visibility for a community, Humphries said. He emphasized inclusivity in the sport, adding, "Everybody is welcome. Basketball is such a universal space and universal game, why wouldn't we also celebrate this community?

The NBL Pride Round, spanning rounds 18 and 20, underscores the league's efforts to promote LGBTQ+ inclusion in Australian basketball. Ogilvy's coming out aligns with broader conversations about representation in sports, where gay athletes like Humphries have paved the way for others. During his youth, Ogilvy noted a lack of positive portrayals of gay relationships in basketball or media, which he hopes his story helps address.

This event contributes to increasing visibility for gay men in professional basketball, building on milestones like Collins'2013 announcement and Humphries'2022 revelation. Fans have connected Ogilvy's story to cultural moments like the popularity of "Heated Rivalry", a show about closeted hockey players, with some crediting it for fostering safer spaces for queer athletes to come out. Ogilvy's openness provides a resource for others in the community seeking support or representation in sports.