Brilliant Bryce Cotton wins fifth NBL MVP award with dominant season for Perth Wildcats rewarded yet again

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Brilliant Bryce Cotton wins fifth NBL MVP award with dominant season for Perth Wildcats rewarded yet again

Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton has added another chapter to his extraordinary legacy, winning his fifth NBL MVP award while polling more votes than at any other point in his career.

Cotton entered the count as the clear favourite after averaging a career-high 28.6 points per game and producing six 40-point games. But there was also thoughts that Adelaide’s Kendric Davis posed a threat after a superb first season in the league.

It was all Cotton though. He was a runaway train with the superstar polling 119 votes (one more than last season) to win by 37 votes. He received his award at a private function in Perth from another man who won an NBL MVP award for the Wildcats – Paul Rogers.

The victory moved him to within two of the all-time leader Andrew Gaze who won seven MVP awards during his incredible career. Leroy Loggins sits in third place for the most MVP awards with three. Cotton was also named the Fans’ MVP.

He paid tribute to the club, his teammates, his wife Rachel and god, saying he’d always been determined to constantly improve.

Camera IconBryce Cotton and wife Rachel. Credit: Iain Gillespie/The West ***********

“It’s staying hungry. No matter what I understand the journey I’ve had since a young kid and how I’ve had to fight to get to where I’m at every level. No matter the success I have or the adversity I face, my mentality is always to keep pushing – as my grandfather would say, until the ball runs out of air,” he said.

Cotton has been an unstoppable force since arriving in Australia midway through the 2016-17 season. Across his eight full seasons, he has five MVPS and three other top-three finishes. He will add a seventh Wildcats MVP award to his career later this month.

The NBL will now start questioning if he can catch Gaze’s seven MVPs but he isn’t looking that far ahead.

“Legacy means a lot to me especially considering what my mum and gran did for me, giving me opportunities and support growing up,” he said.

“As much as I want the best for myself, every year and every season I’m trying to make them proud. That’s where the legacy lies with me. I never compare myself to nobody. This is a race versus myself.”

Illawarra’s Justin Tatum was the clear winner of the Coach of the Year award with 78 votes. South East Melbourne’s Josh King was second on 39 votes.

Brisbane’s Tyrell Harrison was named the NBL’s Most Improved Player. Perth’s Ben Henshall finished third. Henshall also placed runner-up in the Next Generation Awards behind Sydney’s Alex Toohey.

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Sydney’s Kouat Noi received the Sixth Man of the Year award, Melbourne’s Shai Ili took home the Damian Martin Trophy for the Best Defensive Player

Cotton led the All-NBL First Team alongside Davis, South East Melbourne’s Matt Hurt and Illawarra pair Tyler Harvey and Trey Kell.

The All-NBL Second Team comprised Casey Prather (Brisbane), Chris Goulding (Melbourne), Montrezl Harrell (Adelaide), Sam Froling (Illawarra) and Xavier Cooks (Sydney).

Vaughan Mayberry won Referee of the Year and Brisbane’d Malcolm Watts received Executive of the Year.

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#Brilliant #Bryce #Cotton #wins #NBL #MVP #award #dominant #season #Perth #Wildcats #rewarded

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