NBL: Perth star Bryce Cotton wins third MVP but remains behind Andrew Gaze’s remarkable record
Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton has cemented himself as one of the NBL’s all-time greats with a third MVP award.
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Perth Wildcats star guard Bryce Cotton has cemented his place as one of the NBL’s all-time greats after winning a third MVP award, although he has some way to go to catch the award’s namesake Andrew Gaze.
Cotton joins the legendary Leroy Loggins with a third Gaze Trophy as MVP after he tallied 112 votes, beating out Illawarra’s Tyler Harvey on 74 and Brisbane’s Nathan Sobey on 55.
The Wildcats superstar, who has been ruled out for the season after suffering a haematoma to his left quadriceps, has now won back-to-back MVPs and three of the past four, while he was also voted the Fans MVP.
Cotton’s recent domination can’t be ignored, but he sits well behind the award’s benchmark in Gaze, who has a record seven MVPs to his name.
Still, no one can question the Wildcats guard deserves his place alongside the league’s finest players.
Along with the MVP, Cotton was also named in the All-NBL First Team.
He was joined in the team by Harvey, Sobey, John Mooney (Perth) and Jock Landale (Melbourne United).
Perth’s sensational season was also rewarded with Trevor Gleeson winning the Lindsay Gaze Trophy for Coach of the Year.
Gleeson has magnificently led his Wildcats to the NBL grand final as they chase a historic three-peat.
It is the first time Gleeson has won Coach of the Year as Wildcats coach.
Legendary coach Brian Goorjian can consider himself unlucky not to win the Coach of the Year given he guided the Illawarra Hawks from last place to third and one win away from a grand final series.
The Hawks still had reason to celebrate though, with guard Justin Simon named winner of the Damian Martin Trophy for the Best Defensive Player, while his teammate Sam Froling won the Most Improved Player award.
Adelaide’s NBL Next Star and projected first round NBA draft pick Josh Giddey won the Rookie of the Year, while Melbourne’s Jo Lual-Acuil won the Best Sixth Man.
The All-NBL Second Team comprised Finn Delany (New Zealand Breakers), Mitch Creek (South East Melbourne Phoenix), Chris Goulding (Melbourne), Mitch McCarron (Melbourne) and Casper Ware (Sydney Kings).
Mark Boyd from United won the inaugural NBL Executive of the Year award, which recognises an NBL club employee who has demonstrated their consistent approach to the betterment of the competition during the season.
Kyle Adnam from South East Melbourne won the Community Award, which recognises the playerwho has had the greatest impact at schools with the Gametime by Kmart program across the season.
Chris Reid won the Referee of the Year, while ESPN’S Olgun Uluc won the Most Outstanding Media Coverage.
NBL Award winners:
Andrew Gaze Trophy – Most Valuable Player
Bryce Cotton (Perth) – 112 votes
Tyler Harvey (Illawarra) – 74 votes
Nathan Sobey (Brisbane) – 55 votes
Lindsay Gaze Trophy – Coach of the Year
Trevor Gleeson (Perth) – 56 votes
Brian Goorjian (Illawarra) – 42 votes
Dean Vickerman (Melbourne) – 35 votes
All-NBL First Team
John Mooney (Inside) – 46 votes
Jock Landale (Inside) – 42 votes
Bryce Cotton (Outside) – 48 votes
Nathan Sobey (Outside) – 47 votes
Tyler Harvey (Outside) – 46 votes
All-NBL Second Team
Mitch Creek (Inside) – 20 votes
Finn Delany (Inside) – 19 votes
Chris Goulding (Outside) – 28 votes
Casper Ware (Outside) – 16 votes
Mitch McCarron (Outside) – 16 votes
Rookie of the Year
Josh Giddey (Adelaide) – 64 votes
Dejan Vasiljevic (Sydney) – 35 votes
Justinian Jessup (Illawarra) – 27 votes
Best Sixth Man
Jo Lual-Acuil (Melbourne) – 38 votes
Scotty Hopson (Melbourne) – 33 votes
Kyle Adnam (South East Melbourne) – 27 votes
Most Improved Player
Sam Froling (Illawarra) – 50 votes
Jordan Hunter (Sydney) – 39 votes
Finn Delany (New Zealand) – 27 votes
Damian Martin Trophy for the Best Defensive Player
Justin Simon (Illawarra) – 56 votes
Tom Abercrombie (New Zealand) – 29 votes
Mitch Norton (Perth) – 26 votes
Executive of the Year
Mark Boyd (Melbourne)
Fans MVP – Presented by Chemist Warehouse
Bryce Cotton (Perth)
Community Award
Kyle Adnam (South East Melbourne)
Referee of the Year
Chris Reid
Most Outstanding Media Coverage
Olgun Uluc (ESPN)
Originally published as NBL: Perth star Bryce Cotton wins third MVP but remains behind Andrew Gaze’s remarkable record
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