Perth Wildcats’ Bryce Cotton stands alone with NBL’s greatest of all time Andrew Gaze after stunning fourth MVP

Bryce Cotton has etched himself into NBL folklore as the first import to win the league’s MVP award four times — see every NBL award winner here.

NBL superstar Bryce Cotton has become a four-time MVP winner, separating himself from the great Leroy Loggins and now standing alone behind the league’s GOAT Andrew Gaze, who the award is named for.

Perth’s remarkable 31-year-old import overcame a slow start to tear the competition to ribbons, powering the Wildcats to second-place on the NBL ladder behind Melbourne United and Boomers star Chris Goulding, who he edged, along with New Zealand’s dynamic first-year import Parker Jackson-Cartwright, for the league’s top individual award.

Goulding, early on, had many calling his name for what would have been a crowning moment in an already decorated career as Cotton struggled through a distinctly un-Cotton start - 14.4 points on 29 per cent from the field, Perth limping to a 2-5 record.

Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats has picked up his fourth NBL MVP. Picture: James Worsfold/Getty Images.

From there, the switch well and truly flipped. Cotton’s sustained explosion produced 26.6 points per game on 43 per cent shooting, with 4.2 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.4 steals as the Wildcats piled on a pair of six-win streaks in claiming 13 of their next 15 games and booking a spot in the semi finals.

Only seven-time winner Gaze has claimed the mantle of the league’s best player more times than Cotton in a decorated career that has shown no signs of slowing down.

Reflecting on his journey to MVP No.4, Cotton told this masthead he took a little moment as Gaze presented his fourth MVP trophy to reflect on how far he’d come.

“Just sitting up there thinking, it kind of hit me like ‘wow, I’ve come a long way’,” Cotton said.

“I’ve always had a chip on my shoulder, I came out of high school and I had no offers at college, people turned me down.

“But I guess that’s why I tried to stay as like, not big-headed, because I understand my journey and how much luck God had go my way.

“It’s special to win any MVP, especially a fourth one in a league like the NBL.”

Bryce Cotton's 37 points tonight is the highest score in #NBL24 & the best @NBL score since Bryce had 40 against Illawarra in January pic.twitter.com/1VrKgCcjmn

— John Casey (@JohnCasey2880) November 10, 2023

The king of the jungle 😼

Bryce Cotton's fourth MVP is now the second-most of anyone in NBL history 📜 pic.twitter.com/9vGhm2DEos

— NBL (@NBL) February 19, 2024

For an unbelievable SEVENTH-straight season, Bryce Cotton has been named in the 2024 All-NBL First Team. 👏

Congratulations, BC! pic.twitter.com/47dF2xSFVo

— Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) February 19, 2024

While, with the week-long FIBA break, Cotton was ready to celebrate, his mind was already turning to the Wildcats postseason task, which involves a near three-week break before the first game of their semi final series.

“Just keep doing what you do, you know?” he said, when asked how he will navigate the extended layoff.

“You make sure you put in your work and take care of your body. You don’t want to overwork yourself, but then you don’t want to do too little, either.

“So it’s just about finding that balance, a happy medium.”

Asked if he’ll add a chip to his individual gong, Cotton, with a trademark pearly white smile says: “We’ll see what happens.”

Outside of the MVP race, It was a night where the league’s best team feasted, coach Dean Vickerman holding off a spirited effort from Illawarra interim Justin Tatum to claim a third Coach of the Year honour, Shea Ili finally claiming his first — and richly deserved — Defensive Player of the Year gong, bench igniter Ian Clark named Best Sixth Man and much-admired club boss Nick Truelson crowned executive of the year.

It didn’t all go United’s way, though, with Illawarra big man Sam Froling (24) getting the nod over Luke Travers (22) and Perth’s NBA draft-bound teen Alex Sarr (18) for the Next Gen award for best player under 25. Tassie development player Sean MacDonald was a surprise winner of the Most Improved Player award, with Sydney’s remarkable athlete Jaylin Galloway the popular pick among pundits.

Originally published as Perth Wildcats’ Bryce Cotton stands alone with NBL’s greatest of all time Andrew Gaze after stunning fourth MVP