BIO: Bryce Jiron Cotton was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona (USA). Cotton’s parents separated when he was a toddler and his father worked as a police officer on the other side of the country. Money was tight and Adams often provided them with financial assistance during tough times. Cotton’s grandmother, Mary, helped raise him and his brother Justin while their mother worked in real estate.

Cotton loved sports as a child, playing basketball, football and baseball. Due to suffering from a rare form of epilepsy, he was advised during fifth grade to no longer play football due to the high risk of head injuries which could lead to seizures. Focusing on basketball, one of Cotton’s biggest deficiencies was his lack of height. Cotton’s parents separated when he was a toddler and his father worked as a police officer on the other side of the country. Money was tight and Adams often provided them with financial assistance during tough times.

Cotton’s grandmother, Mary, helped raise him and his brother Justin while their mother worked in real estate.

After spending his junior year in Las Vegas, Cotton completed secondary school at Palo Verde High School in Tucson. Cotton helped lead Palo Verde to a 24–7 record and a berth in the state 4A semi finals in the 2009/10 season. He averaged 23.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists and 3.7 steals per game as a senior, and scored 30 or more points nine times, including a career-high 40 points in a 85–82 win over Buckeye on February 16, 2010. He also set a school record for the highest triple-double with 37 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists against Rio Rico on December 11, 2009. He earned First Team All-City and First Team All-State honours in 2010. He also had perfect grades and a high GPA.

Cotton was not highly recruited out of high school. He was turned down by Montana State and Northern Arizona, and was later also turned away by Division II school Chico State. He also reportedly tried to obtain a scholarship from Houston Baptist.

FAMILY: Cotton is the son of Yvonne and Charles Cotton. He has one brother, Justin Tarpley, and two half-brothers, Chaz Cotton and Elijah Cotton. One of his brothers died by suicide in 2021.

His uncle, David Adams, played football at the University of Arizona and had a short stint with the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.

Cotton’s wife Rachel, who is from Perth, gave birth to the couple’s first child in 2019.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Bryce Cotton made his NBL debut with the Perth Wildcats at 24 years of age. He scored 26 points in his first game.

Prior to Cotton’s arrival in Perth, the Wildcats were experiencing one of their worst starts in NBL history. The team had fallen to last place in December with a 7–9 record, struggling under long-term injuries to Damian Martin, Jarrod Kenny, and Matthew Knight.

Import Jaron Johnson initially took the fall for the Wildcats’ poor start, replaced by three-point specialist Andre Ingram just three games into the season. However, in an unusual turn of events, Ingram departed after only two games, citing mental health reasons, prompting Johnson’s return. Despite Johnson’s reinstatement, it was a temporary fix, and he was ultimately released again in December when Perth seized the opportunity to sign former NBA guard Bryce Cotton. Around this time, Perth legend Shawn Redhage also announced that the 2016/17 season would be his last in the NBL.

Throughout these roster upheavals, Casey Prather continued to shoulder the offensive burden for the Wildcats, notching a career-high 39 points in a tight win over Melbourne (92–89) in December. In early February, Prather recorded 29 points in a dominant win over Sydney (101–74), followed by a 26-point, career-high 11-assist performance in a close victory over Melbourne United (96–94). Martin’s return from injury saw him reach his 250th NBL game milestone, scoring a season-high 11 points, alongside 6 rebounds and 4 assists, as Perth defeated Melbourne once again (73–71).

Cotton made an immediate impact in his NBL debut, setting a Wildcats record with 26 points against the Sydney Kings, surpassing James Ennis’ 25-point debut with the Wildcats in 2013. By his fifth game, Cotton had hit a season-high 27 points in an overtime win over Cairns (84–78). With Cotton in the lineup, the Wildcats transformed, winning eight of their last twelve regular-season games, including two must-win matches that secured their playoff spot in fourth place (15-13).

Cotton finished the season as the league’s leading scorer with averages of 23.1 points, 3.2 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.3 steals, while Prather (19.5 points, 4.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, and 1.6 steals) was named runner-up for the NBL MVP award (behind Adelaide’s Jerome Randle) and earned a spot on the NBL First Team.

In game one of the Wildcats’ best-of-three semi-final series against the second-seeded Taipans in Cairns, Cotton erupted for 34 points, leading Perth to a decisive 91–69 win. His 34 points marked the highest post-season scoring effort by a Wildcat since Shawn Redhage’s 35 points in 2008, and Cotton also contributed a team-high five assists and three steals. In game two back in Perth, Cotton scored nine points as the Wildcats defeated Cairns 74–66, sweeping the series to advance to the NBL Grand Final.

In the Grand Final series, Prather (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists), Cotton (18 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists), and Knight (18 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 steals) led a balanced offensive attack, securing a 12-point win in game one (89-77). The series then moved to Wollongong for game two, but Perth maintained their playoff dominance with another 89–77 victory. Cotton (20 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Prather (18 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) led the scoring, supported by five Wildcats players in double figures.

In game three, Perth clinched the title with a commanding 95–86 win, remaining undefeated throughout the postseason and capturing their eighth NBL championship. This marked the Wildcats’ first back-to-back titles since 1991.

Several record-breaking moments defined the game three victory, most notably with Bryce Cotton’s phenomenal 45-point performance—an NBL Grand Final record. His 27.7 points per game across the Grand Final series was the highest scoring average in a Grand Final series in 20 years, earning him the Grand Final MVP honours.

2017/18
Following back-to-back championships, Perth retained Trevor Gleeson as head coach but lost two-time club MVP Casey Prather (to Melbourne) after he pursued NBA opportunities, Jameel McKay (to Spain) and Shawn Redhage (retired). After a brief NBA Summer League stint, Bryce Cotton re-signed on July 14 despite interest from Unicaja Málaga, with his deal reportedly worth around $600,000. Devondrick Walker (via Delaware) initially signed as Prather’s replacement, but a fractured left foot suffered during the preseason ruled him out before playing a regular-season game and he was replaced by JP Tokoto (via Rio Grande Valley). Derek Cooke Jr. (via Northern Arizona) replaced McKay, while Lucas Walker was elevated from training player to the full-time roster.

Perth opened the season at Perth Arena against Brisbane on October 7, where Cotton (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) made five three-pointers, while Wagstaff (18 points) and Tokoto (16 points and 4 rebounds) helped the Wildcats defeat the Bullets 96-86 in front of a record opening-round crowd of 13,403. Travis Trice (27 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Brisbane.

Cotton (19.5 points, 3 rebounds, 2.9 assists, and 1.2 steals across 30 games) remained Perth’s primary scorer and played every game during the season, appearing in all 28 regular-season games and both semifinals without missing a game through injury or illness.

On December 10 in Wollongong, Cotton (36 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) produced his best scoring game of the season, making seven three-pointers as Perth defeated Illawarra 99-91. Cooke Jr. (19 points and 7 rebounds) and Tokoto (13 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) provided support, while Demitrius Conger (30 points and 5 rebounds) led the Hawks. The victory was Perth’s seventh consecutive win over Illawarra and improved the Wildcats to 10-3, putting them back on top of the ladder.

Matthew Knight (retired) had planned to finish his career at season’s end, but three head knocks during the opening weeks forced him to bring his retirement forward in early November after five games. Clint Steindl (via Greece) was signed as his replacement. Perth’s 10-3 start then stalled when Martin (4.6 points, 3.8 rebounds, 3.3 assists, and 1.5 steals across 28 games) missed two games with an ankle injury, while Steindl (2.5 points across 22 games) also missed time through injury and Hire (2.3 points across 23 games) missed five games with a low-grade calf strain, contributing to the Wildcats falling to 13-9 by the middle of January. Cooke Jr. (5.8 points and 5.4 rebounds across 29 games) also faced pressure over his production, but Perth resisted making another import change.

The Wildcats responded against New Zealand at Perth Arena on January 27 after captain Martin had challenged the team’s form, with Cotton (27 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) shooting 8-of-12 from the field and 9-of-9 from the free-throw line. Brandt (16 points and 5 rebounds) and Tokoto (14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks) helped Perth defeat the Breakers 90-73, while Edgar Sosa (10 points and 7 assists) led New Zealand.

Perth finished the regular season at home against Cairns on February 18, where Cotton (24 points and 6 assists) made six three-pointers, with Wagstaff (16 points and 3 rebounds) and Tokoto (9 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) helping the Wildcats defeat the Taipans 89-61. Jerry Evans Jr. (12 points and 4 rebounds) led Cairns as Perth finished third with a 16-12 record and qualified for the postseason for a 32nd consecutive season.

Tokoto (15.2 points, 5.8 rebounds, and 1.6 steals across 30 games) was Perth’s other major offensive threat, while Brandt (9.6 points and 4.3 rebounds across 30 games), Wagstaff (9 points and 3.1 rebounds across 29 games) and Lucas Walker (8.7 points and 5.8 rebounds across 29 games) provided further support. Cotton won the Andrew Gaze Trophy as NBL MVP with 117 votes, ahead of Conger (94) and Jerome Randle (79), becoming the third Wildcat to win the award after Paul Rogers and Kevin Lisch, and was selected to the All-NBL First Team. Tokoto earned All-NBL Second Team honours, while Martin won the NBL Best Defensive Player Award for a record sixth time. NBL chief executive Jeremy Loeliger said, “Bryce has been an outstanding performer since he joined Perth and is a thoroughly deserving winner of this year’s MVP.”

Perth opened the semifinals in Adelaide, where Cotton (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) was the only Wildcat to reach double figures as the 36ers won 109-74. Wagstaff (8 points), Brandt (8 points and 6 rebounds) and Cooke Jr. (8 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) provided limited support, while Josh Childress (22 points and 9 rebounds), Mitch Creek (20 points and 11 rebounds), Shannon Shorter (18 points and 7 assists), Daniel Johnson (16 points and 10 rebounds) and Nathan Sobey (15 points and 4 assists) led Adelaide. The 35-point defeat was Perth’s second-biggest finals loss behind its 55-point defeat to North Melbourne in 1989, while Adelaide became the first team to score 100 points against the Wildcats during the season.

Game two moved to Perth, where Cotton (31 points and 3 assists) scored a Wildcats finals-record 19 points during the opening quarter despite battling cramp and helped Perth build an 18-point lead. Tokoto (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists), Brandt (14 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Kenny (12 points) provided support, but Childress (25 points and 11 rebounds) scored the go-ahead basket with 24 seconds remaining, while Creek (22 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Sobey (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists) helped Adelaide recover from five points down during the final minute. Adelaide defeated Perth 89-88 to complete the semifinal sweep.

2018/19
After finishing third with a 16-12 record and being swept 2-0 by Adelaide in the 2018 semifinals, coach Trevor Gleeson reshaped Perth’s roster. Matt Knight (retired), JP Tokoto (to Israel), Lucas Walker (to Cairns), Jarrod Kenny (to Cairns) and Dexter Kernich-Drew (to Cairns) departed, while Derek Cooke Jr was not retained. Nick Kay (via Illawarra), Mitch Norton (via Illawarra), Tom Jervis (via Brisbane) and import Terrico White (via Seoul) joined the Wildcats, with Rhys Vague elevated from development player to the full roster.

Perth travelled to the United States during the preseason, suffering a 130-72 loss to the Utah Jazz before producing a much stronger performance in a 96-88 loss to the Denver Nuggets. The Wildcats opened the regular season at home against Adelaide on October 11, where Cotton (22 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) led Perth to a 99-91 victory, with White (20 points and 3 rebounds) and Kay (18 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) providing support, while Daniel Johnson (23 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block) was Adelaide’s best.

Cotton (21.8 points, 4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals across 31 games) entered the season having signed a new three-year deal with Perth on June 5 after winning the 2017/18 NBL MVP. “I feel like this was a great move for me; it wasn’t really a hard decision,” he said after committing to the Wildcats through the 2020/21 season.

One of Cotton’s first major performances came against Melbourne on October 27, where he finished with 31 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals as Perth defeated United 101-96 in overtime. White (27 points and 6 rebounds) provided the other major scoring threat and Brandt (14 points, 20 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) dominated the glass, while Chris Goulding (29 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led Melbourne.

Cotton’s best scoring game of the season came against Brisbane on November 9. He scored a season-high 37 points with 3 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals and hit the game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer to give Perth a 90-87 victory, with Norton (15 points and 3 assists) and Kay (12 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) also contributing, while Lamar Patterson (13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) was among Brisbane’s best.

Perth reached 10-1 despite several injuries. Captain Martin (5.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 28 games) missed six games with a right calf tear, while Brandt (8 points and 5.5 rebounds across 31 games) missed three games after suffering an ankle injury while with the Australian Boomers. Cotton then injured his right thumb when his shooting hand struck the edge of the backboard late in the November 23 game against New Zealand. Scans cleared him of a fracture and surgery was not required, but he missed the November 25 rematch with the Breakers and the December 6 game against Sydney after Perth decided playing him remained too great a risk. “Right now (my thumb) is still swollen… I can’t really move it too much right now,” Cotton said while awaiting further scans.

He returned against Cairns on December 9 despite still dealing with pain and finished with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block as Perth won 94-72. White (15 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Kay (15 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists) helped the Wildcats improve to 11-2, while DJ Newbill (17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Cairns.

Cotton then suffered hamstring tightness late in training on December 29 and did not travel for Perth’s December 31 game in Cairns, with Sunday Dech taking his place in the squad. The injury proved minor and was the third and final game Cotton missed for the season. Perth’s form deteriorated during this period and, after beginning 10-1, the Wildcats lost eight of their next ten games to fall to 12-9 by mid-January. Despite pressure to activate a third import, Gleeson backed the existing roster.

The Wildcats responded by winning six consecutive games, with victories over Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney returning them to the top of the ladder. On February 1, Cotton delivered one of his strongest all-round games of the season with 27 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal as Perth defeated Illawarra 104-90 and secured a 33rd consecutive postseason appearance, with White (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Kay (17 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists) also starring, while Brian Conklin (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) led the Hawks.

White (17 points and 4.3 rebounds across 30 games) finished as Perth’s second-leading scorer, while Kay (14.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals across 34 games) produced a career-best season. Norton (8.3 points across 27 games), Steindl (6.9 points across 34 games) and Wagstaff (5.6 points across 34 games) provided further support alongside Brandt and Martin. Cotton led the NBL in regular-season scoring and was selected to the All-NBL First Team alongside Kay. He finished third in MVP voting with 65 votes behind Casper Ware (77) and winner Andrew Bogut (83), with Bogut saying after receiving the award, “I would have given it to Bryce.” Cotton was also voted the Fans’ MVP and later won Perth’s Gordon Ellis Medal as club MVP, polling 318 votes ahead of Kay (286) and White (174).

Perth’s six-game winning streak ensured the Wildcats entered the final round on top of the ladder. Their regular season ended against Melbourne on February 17, where Cotton (11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists), Kay (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Wagstaff (12 points) led Perth, while DJ Kennedy (21 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block) powered United to an 81-70 win. Despite the loss, Perth finished first with an 18-10 record.

Perth opened its semifinal series against Brisbane with an 89-59 win at RAC Arena, as Cotton (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), White (19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Kay (18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led the Wildcats, while Cameron Gliddon (18 points and 4 rebounds) and Patterson (9 points, 4 rebounds, and 6 assists) were Brisbane’s main contributors.

Game two moved to Brisbane, where White (24 points and 3 rebounds), Cotton (19 points and 10 assists) and Kay (16 points and 15 rebounds) led Perth to an 84-79 victory and a series sweep, while Patterson (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Matt Hodgson (15 points) were Brisbane’s best. Cotton’s 10 assists equalled his career high as Perth advanced to the Grand Final against defending champion Melbourne.

The Grand Final series opened at RAC Arena, where White (19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Brandt (14 points and 7 rebounds) led the scoring while Cotton (10 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals) contributed across the floor as Perth defeated Melbourne 81-71. Casper Ware (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Goulding (15 points) led United.

Melbourne responded in game two with a 92-74 win at Melbourne Arena. Cotton (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and White (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Perth, while Kay (10 points and 8 rebounds) provided support. Goulding (14 points) and Ware (14 points) shared Melbourne’s scoring lead, with Kennedy (12 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) controlling the glass as United levelled the series 1-1.

Back in Perth for game three, White erupted for 31 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists while Cotton (16 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) controlled the offence as the Wildcats crushed Melbourne 96-67 to take a 2-1 series lead. David Barlow (13 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Kennedy (13 points, 10 rebounds, and 6 assists) were United’s best.

Game four returned to Melbourne Arena, where Cotton (28 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals), White (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Kay (12 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Perth, while Ware (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists), Barlow (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Goulding (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Melbourne. White was awarded the Larry Sengstock Medal after averaging 21.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across the Grand Final series, while Gleeson became the first coach to lead the same NBL club to four championships and Martin and Wagstaff became the first players to win five championships with the same club as Perth defeated Melbourne 97-84 to take the series 3-1 and claim its ninth NBL championship.

2019/20
After defeating Melbourne United 3-1 in the 2019 Grand Final to claim their ninth NBL championship, Perth focused on keeping its championship core together. Four-time championship-winning coach Trevor Gleeson re-signed on a three-year deal, while Damian Martin, Jesse Wagstaff and import Terrico White also returned. Wani Swaka Lo Buluk was elevated from development player to the full roster following Greg Hire’s retirement, while Dario Hunt (via Spirou Charleroi) and Majok Majok (via New Zealand) were added after Tom Jervis (retired) and Angus Brandt (to Europe) departed.

The Wildcats opened their title defence at RAC Arena on October 5 with a 94-93 win over Melbourne United. Bryce Cotton (21 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists), White (20 points and 2 steals) and Nick Kay (18 points, 7 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals) led Perth, while Melo Trimble (25 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) was Melbourne’s best. White hit the game-winning three-pointer with 11 seconds remaining as Perth closed the game on a 12-2 run.

Cotton (22.6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 32 games) entered the season in the second year of the three-year deal he had signed with Perth in 2018 and remained the Wildcats’ primary offensive weapon. Perth started strongly with a 5-1 record before falling to 8-5 by Round 10, then recovered to close December with a 13-6 record. Captain Martin (3.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 26 games) played his 300th game for Perth during December before a left heel injury sidelined him throughout January.

One of Cotton’s best regular-season scoring performances came against Sydney on November 10, where he made six three-pointers and finished with 36 points and 4 rebounds, but the Kings defeated Perth 104-85 at Qudos Bank Arena. Kay (18 points and 6 rebounds) provided support for the Wildcats, while Didi Louzada (28 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 steals) and Casper Ware (23 points) led Sydney.

A week later, Cotton (34 points and 4 assists) made six three-pointers and scored Perth’s first nine points as the Wildcats defeated New Zealand 88-77 at RAC Arena. Wagstaff (14 points) and Hunt (10 points) provided support, while Corey Webster (23 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) led the Breakers.

Cotton’s best regular-season scoring game came against Sydney on December 28, where he made eight three-pointers and finished with 39 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals as Perth defeated the Kings 98-85 at Qudos Bank Arena. Perth trailed by five points with six minutes remaining before Cotton scored 16 points and made four three-pointers during the closing stretch, with White (24 points and 4 rebounds) and Kay (10 points and 10 rebounds) helping the Wildcats close out the win, while Ware (33 points) led Sydney.

After consecutive losses to begin 2020, Perth released Hunt (8.6 points and 6 rebounds across 21 games) and replaced him with seven-year NBA veteran Miles Plumlee (8.6 points and 6.7 rebounds across 12 games), who had most recently played in China with Zhejiang. With only seven regular-season games remaining when he arrived, Plumlee was required to appear in every game to qualify for the postseason.

On January 17, Cotton played his 100th NBL game and finished with 25 points and 7 assists as Perth defeated South East Melbourne 97-71 at RAC Arena. Mitchell Norton (18 points and 2 steals) and White (15 points) provided support for the Wildcats, while former Perth import Devondrick Walker (16 points) led the Phoenix. The crowd of 13,307 was Perth’s second-largest home crowd of the season.

Fresh from playing with the Australian Boomers at the World Cup, Kay (15.9 points, 8 rebounds, 3.2 assists, and 1.2 steals across 33 games) remained one of the league’s best all-around forwards, while White (15 points and 3.6 rebounds across 30 games), Clint Steindl (9.6 points across 32 games), Norton (6.8 points across 33 games) and Wagstaff (5.8 points across 33 games) provided the Wildcats with a strong supporting cast.

Cotton missed Perth’s final regular-season game against Adelaide after experiencing knee soreness at training late in the week and failing a fitness test on the morning of the game. With White also unavailable with a knee injury, Kay (23 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Plumlee (14 points and 7 rebounds) led the Wildcats to a 94-79 victory, while Daniel Johnson (18 points and 11 rebounds) was Adelaide’s best. Perth won six of its final seven games to finish second with a 19-9 record and secure its 34th consecutive finals appearance.

Cotton was named NBL MVP for the second time after polling 88 votes, ahead of Cairns guard Scott Machado (80) and Brisbane forward Lamar Patterson (73), and was selected to the All-NBL First Team alongside Kay. Cotton became the first import in NBL history to lead the league in scoring in three consecutive seasons and also led the league in steals, becoming the first player in NBL history to lead both categories in the same season. He also won his third Gordon Ellis Medal as Perth’s club MVP, polling 351 votes ahead of Kay (323) and White (89).

Perth opened its semifinal series against Cairns with a 108-107 overtime win at RAC Arena, where Cotton produced his best game of the season. Cotton (42 points and 6 assists) made 10 three-pointers to set an NBL semifinal record and scored nine points in overtime, while Kay (23 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) and Norton (12 points) helped Perth survive the Taipans. Machado (31 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists), DJ Newbill (25 points) and Cameron Oliver (19 points and 17 rebounds) led Cairns. “There’s some big shots to be made; Bryce wants the ball in his hands and can make them under pressure,” Gleeson said.

Game two moved to Cairns, where the Taipans held Cotton scoreless during the first half and defeated Perth 85-74. Cotton (11 points and 2 steals), Steindl (18 points), White (13 points and 4 rebounds) and Kay (10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led Perth, while Oliver (22 points and 19 rebounds) and Newbill (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) helped Cairns level the series at 1-1.

Back at RAC Arena for game three, Perth defeated Cairns 93-82 behind White (26 points and 4 rebounds) and Kay (24 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals), while Cotton (5 points, 4 rebounds, and 9 assists) impacted the game as a facilitator despite being held to his lowest scoring total of the season. Oliver (20 points, 9 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Machado (19 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) led Cairns as Perth won the series 2-1 and advanced to its 15th NBL Grand Final.

The Grand Final opened at Qudos Bank Arena, where Perth defeated Sydney 88-86 in front of 11,647 fans. Cotton (32 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) scored eight points during the fourth quarter to lead the Wildcats, with Kay (14 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals, and 3 blocks) and Plumlee (10 points and 7 rebounds) providing support. Andrew Bogut (18 points and 12 rebounds) and Kevin Lisch (17 points) led Sydney as Perth stole home-court advantage.

Ahead of game two, the NBL announced the remainder of the Grand Final series would be played behind closed doors due to the developing COVID-19 pandemic. In an empty RAC Arena, Sydney defeated Perth 97-83 behind Jae’Sean Tate (20 points), Bogut (19 points and 14 rebounds) and Lisch (19 points), while Cotton (27 points and 5 rebounds), Kay (17 points and 7 rebounds) and Steindl (12 points) led the Wildcats as the series was tied at 1-1.

Game three returned to Sydney, where Perth defeated the Kings 111-96 behind Cotton (31 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists) and a career-high performance from Kay (30 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists), who made seven three-pointers. Plumlee (13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) also produced inside, while Tate (20 points and 6 rebounds) and Brad Newley (19 points and 5 rebounds) led Sydney as Perth took a 2-1 series lead. Across Perth’s seven meetings with Sydney during the season, Cotton scored 222 points at 31.7 points per game, becoming the first player in NBL history to score more than 200 points against the same opponent in a single season.

Before game four, Sydney withdrew from the series amid growing COVID-19 concerns and uncertainty surrounding travel restrictions, leading the NBL to cancel the remaining games. Two days later, Perth was officially awarded the championship after holding a 2-1 series lead, giving the Wildcats their tenth NBL title and fourth championship in five seasons. Cotton averaged 30.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.7 assists across the three Grand Final games and was named Grand Final MVP for the second time in four years, becoming the first player in Wildcats history to win league MVP, Grand Final MVP and a championship in the same season.

On April 30, Cotton opted out of the final year of his contract after changes to the NBL’s player salary agreement during the COVID-19 pandemic. Less than four weeks later, Cotton re-signed with Perth on a new three-year deal. “I’m back for the next three seasons and I couldn’t be happier sharing this news. There’s no place like home,” Cotton said.

2020/21
After being awarded the previous season’s championship when Sydney withdrew from the Grand Final series amid COVID-19 concerns, Perth entered NBL21 looking to win a third consecutive title under coach Trevor Gleeson. Damian Martin (retired), Terrico White (to Puerto Rico) and Nicholas Kay (to Spain) departed, while the NBL’s decision to reduce import spots from three to two prevented the Wildcats from retaining Miles Plumlee. Gleeson added John Mooney (via Notre Dame), Todd Blanchfield (via Illawarra) and Kevin White (via Adelaide), while Tom Jervis returned from retirement and Corey Shervill and Andrew Ferguson joined as development players. Majok Majok was also ruled out for the season after rupturing his Achilles before the campaign began. Numerous delays to the season and COVID-19 border restrictions left the league operating without a fixed schedule for much of the year.

Perth opened its championship defence against South East Melbourne at RAC Arena on January 24, where Cotton (27 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, and 5 steals) led the Wildcats to an 88-76 win, with Blanchfield (16 points and 4 rebounds) and Mooney (13 points, 14 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) providing support, while Mitchell Creek (17 points and 5 rebounds) led the Phoenix.

Prior to the season, Cotton (23.5 points, 5.7 assists, and 1.5 steals across 32 games) had briefly opted out of the final year of his contract following the NBL’s COVID-related salary cuts before returning to Perth on a new three-year deal through 2023. “I’m back for the next three seasons and I couldn’t be happier sharing this news. There’s no place like home.” said Cotton.

Perth struggled to build momentum early and sat seventh after five rounds before the league moved its teams to Melbourne for the NBL Cup. The Wildcats won seven of their eight games at the tournament to claim the inaugural NBL Cup and returned to Perth sitting at the top end of the standings.

Cotton’s season-high scoring game came against Adelaide on March 22, where he finished with 36 points, 1 rebound, 6 assists, and 3 steals as Perth defeated the 36ers 92-82, with Norton (13 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Mooney (11 points, 14 rebounds, and 3 assists) providing support, while Daniel Johnson (19 points and 8 rebounds) led Adelaide.

One of Cotton’s best all-round performances came against New Zealand on May 9, where he finished with 32 points, 5 rebounds, 10 assists, and 1 steal without committing a turnover as Perth defeated the Breakers 98-84. Mooney (27 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block) and Blanchfield (18 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) helped Perth secure the win, while Finn Delany (21 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led New Zealand.

Perth added Will Magnay (via New Orleans) in May as a nominated replacement player after his stint with the New Orleans Pelicans, giving the Wildcats additional frontcourt depth for the closing stages of the season.

Mooney (16.9 points and 11.4 rebounds across 42 games) emerged as one of the league’s best big men, while Blanchfield (15.2 points and 4.1 rebounds across 41 games) produced one of his best NBL seasons and set a Wildcats record for most three-pointers made in a season. Norton (8.2 points, 3.5 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 41 games), Wagstaff (6.7 points and 3.8 rebounds across 41 games) and Steindl (6.4 points across 38 games) provided further support throughout the year.

Cotton suffered the injury which eventually ended his season against Brisbane on May 19. Cotton (10 points, 2 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) played through the 91-88 loss, with Steindl (25 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Mooney (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) leading Perth, while Lamar Patterson (23 points and 5 rebounds) was Brisbane’s leading scorer. Cotton had slipped during the game and injured his groin, while also suffering what was later discovered to be a haematoma in his left quadriceps.

Two days later Cotton (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 assists) played reduced minutes against Cairns as Perth won 100-79, with Blanchfield (19 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Mooney (16 points and 8 rebounds) helping the Wildcats to victory, while Mirko Djeric (15 points) led Cairns. Cotton aggravated his groin late in the game and was held out of Perth’s next game against Adelaide, but scans taken because of swelling and pain in his leg revealed the separate quadriceps haematoma suffered against Brisbane. Cotton underwent emergency surgery on May 23, with doctors warning that delaying the operation could have resulted in permanent damage, and he missed Perth’s final four regular-season games and the entire postseason. “It’s over with. I don’t even want to give fans false hope. I couldn’t be out there even if I wanted to.” said Cotton.

Perth went 2-2 over the final four games without Cotton and ended the regular season with a 78-64 loss to Melbourne. After United had taken over first place during Round 13, Melbourne finished on top with a 28-8 record and Perth finished second at 25-11.

Cotton was named NBL MVP for the third time in four seasons, becoming the first Wildcats player to win the award three times and the first player since Andrew Gaze in 1998 to win back-to-back MVP awards. He was also named NBL Scoring Champion, Fans MVP and to the All-NBL First Team. Mooney was also selected to the All-NBL First Team and later won Perth’s Gordon Ellis Medal as club MVP. Norton won the Andrew Vlahov Medal as Perth’s Best Defensive Player and the Eric Watterson Medal as Players’ Player, Travers (4.9 points and 3.2 rebounds across 40 games) was named the club’s Most Improved Player and Jervis (1.3 points across 36 games) received the Coaches’ Award, while Gleeson was named NBL Coach of the Year.

Without Cotton, Perth opened the semifinals against Illawarra with a 74-72 loss, despite Blanchfield (24 points and 3 rebounds) and Mooney (13 points and 15 rebounds), while Justinian Jessup (17 points and 4 rebounds) and Justin Simon (16 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the Hawks. Perth responded in game two with a 79-71 win behind Mooney (18 points and 10 rebounds) and Travers (13 points, 10 rebounds, and 3 assists), while Tyler Harvey (24 points and 4 steals) led Illawarra. Game three saw Perth complete the comeback with another 79-71 victory, with Blanchfield (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals), Mooney (16 points, 15 rebounds, and 1 block) and Norton (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals) leading the Wildcats, while Sam Froling (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks) and Simon (9 points, 11 rebounds, and 4 assists) were best for Illawarra.

Perth faced first-placed Melbourne United in the Grand Final with Cotton still sidelined and Norton also battling injury, forcing Kevin White (3.4 points across 39 games) into a larger backcourt role. COVID-19 travel restrictions resulted in the first two games being played in Perth, where Blanchfield (27 points and 7 rebounds) and White (10 points and 5 rebounds) led the Wildcats in game one, while Chris Goulding (23 points and 2 steals) and Jock Landale (17 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) led Melbourne to a 73-70 win. Game two saw Mooney (17 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists), Blanchfield (13 points and 8 rebounds) and White (12 points) lead Perth, while Goulding (21 points), Yudai Baba (15 points and 4 rebounds) and Landale (12 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 assists) helped Melbourne win 83-74. Game three moved to John Cain Arena in front of 5,000 fans, where Landale (15 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks) and Goulding (14 points and 4 rebounds) led Melbourne, while White (14 points), Mooney (14 points and 13 rebounds) and Blanchfield (11 points and 11 rebounds) led Perth before United completed the sweep with an 81-76 win, claiming its sixth NBL championship with Landale named Grand Final MVP.

2021/22
Perth entered the season after finishing second with a 25-11 record and reaching the Grand Final, where Melbourne swept the Wildcats while Bryce Cotton remained sidelined following emergency surgery on a haematoma in his left quadriceps. The offseason brought major change, with championship coach Trevor Gleeson (to Toronto), John Mooney (to Chiba), Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (to Illawarra), Will Magnay (to Tasmania), Clint Steindl (to Tasmania), Jarrad Weeks (to Tasmania) and Jarred Bairstow (to Tasmania) all departing.

Former Boston Celtics assistant Scott Morrison was appointed head coach, with Perth adding Vic Law (via Brisbane), Michael Frazier II and Matthew Hodgson (via Brisbane), while Majok Majok returned after missing the previous season with a ruptured Achilles. The three-time MVP entered the second season of the three-year contract he signed in May 2020, which kept him with Perth through the 2022/23 season.

Perth opened the season at RAC Arena on December 3, where Cotton (16 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) made his return from surgery as the Wildcats defeated Adelaide 85-73. Law (37 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 block) set a club record for points on debut and Travers (15 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 steals) provided support, while Daniel Johnson (22 points and 6 rebounds) led the 36ers.

Cotton (22.7 points, 3.5 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.5 steals across 28 games) returned to full health and played in every game, leading the NBL in scoring while making a league-high and Wildcats regular-season record 88 three-pointers. Perth also led the league in scoring at 89.1 points per game. The Wildcats won four of their opening five games at home before Western Australia’s border restrictions forced them into 14 consecutive road games.

Cotton played his 150th game for Perth against Illawarra on January 22, finishing with 24 points and 4 assists as the Wildcats won 94-78 behind Law (22 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Blanchfield (20 points and 5 rebounds), while Xavier Rathan-Mayes (17 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) was Illawarra’s best.

Cotton’s season-high scoring game came against Sydney on February 19, where he made eight three-pointers and finished with 33 points, 2 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal, but Perth fell 98-95 to the Kings despite Travers (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 blocks) and Norton (14 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists), while Jaylen Adams (31 points, 7 rebounds, 10 assists, and 2 steals) led Sydney.

Cotton’s best all-round game came against New Zealand in Hobart on March 14, where he finished with 32 points, 8 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals and made a three-pointer while being fouled with less than two seconds remaining as Perth defeated the Breakers 104-102 in overtime. Law (39 points, 8 rebounds, and 2 blocks) forced overtime before Wagstaff (11 points and 4 rebounds) provided support, while Hugo Besson (23 points) led New Zealand as the Wildcats collected their fifth consecutive victory and improved to 13-6. The victory completed Perth’s 14-game road stretch, where the Wildcats won nine times before returning to Western Australia with nine games remaining. “It was just read and react and trying to find an open spot on the floor,” Cotton said.

COTTON FOR THE WIN!!! ?? pic.twitter.com/Qt5ejpjG7J

— Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) March 14, 2022

Perth attempted to replace Michael Frazier II (7.8 points and 4.6 rebounds across 19 games) with John Brown III after the defensive forward left Russia amid concerns over the humanitarian crisis. Brown trained with the Wildcats, but complications involving his former club and the FIBA clearance process prevented him from being registered before the deadline. Frazier was returned to the active roster and Brown returned to the United States.

Earlier today, @PerthWildcats head coach Scott Morrison addressed the awkward nature of how things have played out with Michael Frazier II and John Brown III. #NBL22 pic.twitter.com/scxWbnKfDQ

— NBL (@NBL) April 6, 2022

Injuries prevented Perth from consistently fielding its preferred lineup. Todd Blanchfield (10.4 points and 4.4 rebounds across 23 games) underwent knee surgery early in the season and reinjured the same knee during his second game back, Mitchell Norton (9.6 points and 3.8 assists across 18 games) and Frazier missed time with hamstring injuries, while Hodgson (6.9 points and 4.7 rebounds across 18 games) was limited by calf injuries. Law (20.3 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks across 26 games) suffered a right ankle syndesmosis injury late in the season and was ruled out for the final two games as Perth won only three of its nine games after returning to RAC Arena.

Cotton and Law became the first Wildcats teammates since James Crawford and Scott Fisher in 1993 to both average more than 20 points and were selected to the All-NBL First Team. Cotton finished runner-up for the NBL MVP award, claimed his fifth NBL scoring title and was awarded the Gordon Ellis Medal as Perth’s club MVP for the fourth time, alongside the Players’ Player and Members MVP awards. Luke Travers (7.8 points and 5.4 rebounds across 27 games) was named Perth’s Most Improved Player for a second consecutive season and finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, while Norton won the Andrew Vlahov Medal as Perth’s Best Defensive Player. Wagstaff (6.2 points across 28 games) and Majok Majok (5.3 points and 5.2 rebounds across 28 games) provided further support.

With Law unavailable, Perth’s season came down to its final game against South East Melbourne at RAC Arena on April 24. Cotton (28 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists) drove to the basket to force overtime before a potential three-point play was wiped out by an offensive foul and he missed a difficult game-tying attempt during the final seconds. Frazier (22 points and 6 rebounds) and Hodgson (12 points and 10 rebounds) provided support, while Xavier Munford (24 points, 6 rebounds, 10 assists, and 3 steals) led the Phoenix to a 102-100 victory. The loss left Perth fifth with a 16-12 record and ended its run of 35 consecutive finals appearances, with the Wildcats missing the postseason for the first time since 1986.

2022/23
After missing the playoffs for the first time in 35 years, Scott Morrison stepped down after one season for family reasons and Perth appointed former Townsville Crocodiles guard John Rillie as head coach on a three-year deal. Kevin White (to Illawarra) and Matt Hodgson (to Taiwan) departed, while Todd Blanchfield re-signed for three years, Jesse Wagstaff returned on a one-year deal and Kyle Zunic was elevated from development player to the main roster. Corey Webster (free agent), who had originally signed with Perth in 2017 before departing prior to the season, returned to the club, while TaShawn Thomas (via France) and Brady Manek (via North Carolina) were added for scoring depth.

The Wildcats also secured their three-time NBL MVP on a new three-year contract, keeping him in Perth through the 2024/25 season.

Perth opened the season at RAC Arena on October 2, where Cotton (23 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals) led a 24-point turnaround as the Wildcats defeated Brisbane 87-73. Wagstaff (14 points) and Thomas (12 points, 6 assists, and 2 steals) provided support, while Devondrick Walker (16 points and 5 rebounds) led the Bullets. “I’m happy with how I played but I’m happy with how the team came together,” Cotton said.

The Wildcats won their next two games to begin 3-0 and move to the top of the ladder before five consecutive losses dropped them to seventh. Cotton (23.4 points, 4.6 rebounds, 4.9 assists, and 1.6 steals across 30 games) led the NBL in scoring and remained available throughout the campaign, appearing in all 28 regular-season games and both play-in games without an injury-related absence.

On October 28 at RAC Arena, Cotton (27 points, 4 rebounds, and 8 assists) scored 14 points in the second quarter and threw down a poster dunk, while Travers (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) and Thomas (14 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) also contributed, but Mitchell Creek (22 points and 6 rebounds) led South East Melbourne to a 91-90 win.

Cotton (15 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals) scored 12 points in the fourth quarter against Adelaide on November 5 and led a 14-0 run which broke Perth’s losing streak. Manek (25 points) and Corey Webster (18 points and 4 rebounds) provided support, while Robert Franks (24 points and 9 rebounds) led the 36ers before the Wildcats won 94-89 in front of a record crowd of 9,071 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre.

New Zealand’s unflattering social-media meme aimed at Corey provided extra motivation when the Breakers visited RAC Arena on December 3. In front of family and friends, Webster (26 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) scored 16 points in the third quarter, including nine consecutive Perth points, Manek (18 points and 6 rebounds) made three important three-pointers in the fourth and Cotton (17 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists) helped the Wildcats end New Zealand’s five-game winning streak with a 92-84 victory, while Barry Brown Jr (27 points) led the Breakers.

Cotton (32 points, 6 assists, and 3 steals) led Perth to another win over Adelaide at RAC Arena on December 9, with Thomas (22 points and 8 rebounds) and Webster (22 points) helping the Wildcats defeat the 36ers 98-90, while Mitch McCarron (20 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Adelaide. Norton (7 points) played his 300th NBL game and Daniel Johnson (10 points and 5 rebounds) reached 400 appearances.

Three nights later, Perth trailed Melbourne 89-84 with nine seconds remaining before Blanchfield (8 points and 2 rebounds) made a three-pointer while being fouled, missed the bonus free throw, grabbed his own rebound and found Webster (20 points and 3 assists), who made the game-winning three-pointer. Cotton (29 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) led the Wildcats and Xavier Rathan-Mayes (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) was Melbourne’s leading scorer as Perth won 90-89 at RAC Arena. The result was Perth’s third consecutive win and Webster’s 250th NBL game.

Perth added Tai Webster (via Turkey) on January 3, reuniting him with Corey, while Corey Shervill was released from the Wildcats’ 11-man roster and remained with the club as a train-on player.

After Perth went 5-2 during December and climbed to fifth, Cotton’s best game came against Illawarra at RAC Arena on January 27. Cotton (40 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists) made 11-of-21 field goals, seven of 11 three-pointers and all 11 free throws, while Manek (16 points and 7 rebounds) and Webster (15 points and 7 rebounds) helped Perth defeat the Hawks 106-86. Tyler Harvey (23 points) led Illawarra before the win in front of 12,521 fans moved the Wildcats to 14-11 and fourth place.

Webster (14.2 points across 29 games), Thomas (13.1 points, 6.1 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 28 games), Manek (13.1 points and 5.3 rebounds across 30 games), Travers (9.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across 29 games), Tai Webster (7 points across 8 games) and Norton (5.1 points across 28 games) formed Perth’s main supporting group. The Wildcats finished with the NBL’s highest offensive rating and averaged 92.1 points per game, second in the league, but had the worst defensive rating and ranked last in rebounding at 33.5 per game.

Cotton led the league in scoring, finished second to Xavier Cooks in MVP voting with 96 votes, earned All-NBL First Team selection and received Perth’s club MVP award.

Perth was outscored 27-15 in the fourth quarter against Tasmania in Hobart on January 29, with Thomas (19 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals), Cotton (17 points and 2 steals) and Webster (17 points and 4 assists) leading the Wildcats, while Milton Doyle (21 points and 4 assists) helped the JackJumpers win 102-94.

Cairns then defeated Perth 84-71 at RAC Arena on February 3, despite Cotton (28 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Thomas (23 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) leading the Wildcats. Manek (12 points) also contributed, while Bul Kuol (15 points and 9 rebounds) led the Taipans and left Perth needing a final-round win over Sydney by at least 11 points to reach the postseason.

Sydney held Cotton (7 points) to one made field goal at RAC Arena on February 5, but Webster (26 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Travers (22 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists) and Manek (21 points, 9 rebounds, and 2 steals) carried Perth, while Dejan Vasiljevic (18 points and 7 rebounds) led the Kings. The Wildcats won 96-84, finishing sixth with a 15-13 record and qualifying for the NBL’s inaugural play-in tournament by winning by 12 after needing an 11-point margin.

The Play-In Qualifier moved to John Cain Arena on February 9, where Perth trailed South East Melbourne for most of the game before outscoring the Phoenix 41-23 in the fourth quarter. Cotton (26 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals) scored 20 points in the final period, while Manek (24 points) and Thomas (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists) helped the Wildcats win 106-99. Creek (24 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists), Gary Browne (20 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals) and Alan Williams (16 points, 17 rebounds, and 3 steals) led the Phoenix.

Cairns entered the Play-In Game at the Cairns Convention Centre without injured star Keanu Pinder, but DJ Hogg (32 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) set a Taipans playoff scoring record, while Kuol (23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Sam Waardenburg (15 points and 10 rebounds) led the Taipans. Cotton (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 10 assists), Thomas (14 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 blocks), Webster (14 points and 4 rebounds) and Manek (13 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists) were Perth’s best as Cairns won 91-78.

2023/24
After finishing sixth in 2022/23 and being eliminated by Cairns during the play-in tournament, Perth reshaped its roster under head coach John Rillie. Luke Travers (to Melbourne), Todd Blanchfield (to Illawarra), Mitchell Norton (to Brisbane), TaShawn Thomas and Brady Manek exited, while Rillie added two-time Most Improved Player Keanu Pinder (via Cairns), Hyrum Harris (via Adelaide), David Okwera (via Melbourne), imports Jordan Usher and Kristian Doolittle, Next Star Alexandre Sarr and rookie Ben Henshall. Captain Jesse Wagstaff and guards Tai and Corey Webster returned as Perth moved towards a younger roster.

Perth opened the season at RAC Arena on September 29, where Cotton (21 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) helped the Wildcats defeat Tasmania 101-95. Usher (35 points and 3 rebounds) produced the highest-scoring debut in Wildcats history and Corey Webster (16 points) provided support, while Jack McVeigh (22 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 block) led the JackJumpers.

Cotton (22.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.5 steals across 30 games) entered the second season of the three-year contract he signed in May 2022, which kept him with Perth through the end of the 2024/25 season.

Despite the opening victory, Perth lost five of its next six games as a new guard-heavy offence regularly left Cotton stationed in the corners and reduced his opportunities with the ball. The struggles produced calls from supporters and sections of the media for Rillie to be replaced, while comments attributed to Cotton’s wife criticising the game plan made national headlines.

Perth collected its second win in Adelaide on October 6, where Cotton (19 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) led an 82-75 victory, with Usher (16 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 steal) and Sarr (16 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks) providing support while Isaac Humphries (18 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 blocks) led the 36ers. After Pinder fouled out, Sarr made back-to-back three-pointers during the final two minutes to secure the result in only his third NBL game.

Following a disappointing loss to Brisbane, Pinder (13.6 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.7 steals across 31 games) publicly predicted Perth would win its next five games, with the Wildcats proceeding to deliver on his claim and turn their season around.

Cotton’s offensive recovery began against Adelaide at RAC Arena on November 4, where he finished with 29 points, 4 assists, and 1 steal as Perth recovered from an 11-point deficit and ended a four-game losing streak with a 99-88 win. Usher (17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) provided energy after being moved to the bench and Pinder (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 1 block) controlled the frontcourt, while Trey Kell III (25 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) led Adelaide.

His best scoring game came against Sydney on December 1, where Cotton (41 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) committed no turnovers and led Perth to a 114-105 victory and its sixth consecutive win. Pinder (18 points, 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks) and Sarr (15 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals) supported him, while Jonah Bolden (28 points, 5 rebounds, and 1 block) was Sydney’s leading scorer.

Across eight games from December 15 to January 21, Cotton averaged 30.4 points and delivered four 30-point performances, returning to the front of the MVP conversation as Perth climbed into the top two.

A post shared by Perth Wildcats (@perthwildcats)

Rillie’s lineup changes helped create more opportunities for Cotton, with Usher (12.3 points and 3.4 rebounds across 31 games) embracing a sixth-man role and regularly finishing close games. Harris (5.8 points and 3.8 rebounds across 30 games) moved into the starting lineup and added defensive intensity, offensive rebounding and a willingness to dive on the floor for loose balls.

Sarr (9.4 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 27 games) displayed the length, athleticism and defensive versatility that moved him towards the top of NBA draft projections. Doolittle (9 points and 6.7 rebounds across 29 games) became Perth’s primary defensive stopper, while Tai Webster (8.9 points across 28 games) assumed much of the ball-handling responsibility and allowed Cotton to spend more time working away from the ball. Tai averaged 18 points during a four-game stretch from January 13-25 as Perth won three of those games.

Wagstaff (6.5 points across 28 games) remained a reliable veteran presence, Corey Webster (6.1 points across 20 games) contributed in a reduced role and Henshall (3.1 points across 16 games) gained experience during his rookie season.

A knee complaint kept Cotton out of Perth’s regular-season finale, but the Wildcats finished second with a 17-11 record and returned directly to the semifinals. Cotton led the NBL in scoring for the seventh time in eight seasons, earned his seventh All-NBL First Team selection, won the Fans’ MVP and Perth’s Gordon Ellis Medal and claimed his fourth Andrew Gaze Trophy. The award moved him past Leroy Loggins’ three MVPs and into outright second behind Andrew Gaze’s seven.

Perth opened its semifinal series against Tasmania at RAC Arena on March 8 with an 89-81 victory. Pinder (25 points and 7 rebounds), Cotton (15 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Usher (11 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 block) led the Wildcats, while Jordon Crawford (19 points and 3 assists), McVeigh (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Marcus Lee (16 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 steal) were Tasmania’s leading scorers.

Game two moved to MyState Bank Arena, where Cotton (26 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) and Doolittle (20 points and 9 rebounds) carried Perth, while Sarr (5 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 blocks) protected the rim. Milton Doyle (24 points and 6 rebounds), McVeigh (22 points and 5 rebounds) and Majok Deng (18 points and 5 rebounds) led Tasmania to a 102-94 win and forced a deciding game.

Game three returned to RAC Arena, where McVeigh (27 points and 6 rebounds), Doyle (24 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals) and Will Magnay (18 points, 9 rebounds, and 1 block) controlled the game for Tasmania. Cotton (21 points and 4 rebounds) and Harris (13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth, while Pinder (7 rebounds, 4 steals, and 1 block) was held scoreless as Tasmania won 100-84.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Perth Wildcats (@perthwildcats)

2024/25
After falling to Tasmania in the 2024 semifinals, Perth farewelled Alexandre Sarr (to Washington), Jordan Usher (to France), Corey Webster (to Auckland) and Kyle Zunic (to Keilor). John Rillie returned for his third season as head coach and agreed to a three-year extension, adding Elijah Pepper (via UC Davis), Next Star Izan Almansa (via G League Ignite) and Dylan Windler (via Atlanta), while Michael Harris was promoted from the development roster and Todd Withers (via Warwick) was signed as a nominated replacement player. Captain Jesse Wagstaff re-signed alongside Bryce Cotton, Keanu Pinder, Kristian Doolittle, Tai Webster, Hyrum Harris, Ben Henshall and David Okwera, with Dontae Russo-Nance and Thomas Gerovich joining as development players.

Cotton entered the final season of the three-year contract he signed in May 2022, which kept him in Perth through the end of NBL25. During his historic December scoring run, the Wildcats tabled another offer reported to be the richest player contract in NBL history, but no extension was announced during the season.

Perth opened the season against South East Melbourne during HoopsFest at RAC Arena on September 20, where Cotton (26 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) made eight three-pointers as the Wildcats won 106-98, with Pinder (29 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Henshall (10 points and 7 assists) providing support, while Jordan Hunter (19 points and 7 rebounds) led the Phoenix.

Cotton (28.6 points, 3.2 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 1.2 steals across 24 games) produced the highest-scoring season of his NBL career. His campaign was interrupted in Auckland on October 19, when Cotton (0 points in 2:29) dislodged a rib against New Zealand and missed the next five games.

Cotton returned against South East Melbourne on November 15 and immediately regained his scoring touch, finishing with 33 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists in 32 minutes as Perth won 97-84, with Windler (20 points and 2 steals) and Doolittle (12 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) helping the Wildcats pull away, while Matt Hurt (27 points and 10 rebounds) led the Phoenix. Cotton later said, “The biggest thing for me this season was the rib injury,” explaining the setback renewed his appreciation for basketball.

Cotton’s best regular-season scoring game came against New Zealand at RAC Arena on December 1, where he made 18-of-28 field goals, seven three-pointers and 16-of-17 free throws to finish with 59 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 block as Perth defeated the Breakers 123-112. Almansa (17 points and 8 rebounds) and Windler (15 points) supported Cotton, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (34 points, 10 assists, and 3 steals) led New Zealand. Cotton’s performance surpassed James Crawford’s Wildcats record of 57 points and became the highest individual score of the modern 40-minute NBL era.

The record performance opened a four-game stretch of at least 40 points. Cotton (40 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Perth against Illawarra on December 6, with Almansa (15 points and 9 rebounds) and Pepper (14 points) contributing, but Trey Kell III (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 5 assists) drove the Hawks to a 121-111 win. Two nights later Cotton (49 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) carried Perth to a 115-105 road victory over Adelaide, with Henshall (15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Windler (13 points and 7 rebounds) providing support, while Kendric Davis (37 points, 5 rebounds, and 11 assists) led the 36ers. Cotton (44 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks) then extended the run against Cairns on December 14 as Perth won 128-92 behind Windler (18 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals) and Pinder (13 points and 10 rebounds), while Taran Armstrong (24 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) was Cairns’ best, making Cotton the first NBL player since Andrew Gaze in 1991 to produce four consecutive 40-point games.

Pinder (15.8 points and 6.6 rebounds across 29 games) and Doolittle (15.4 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 3.6 assists across 28 games) were Perth’s next two leading offensive players, while Windler (12.1 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.4 steals across 28 games) gave the Wildcats rebounding and perimeter shooting. Henshall (9.4 points and 3.4 rebounds across 32 games), Webster (7.7 points across 20 games), Pepper (7 points across 31 games), Almansa (6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds across 33 games) and Withers (5.8 points across 14 games) filled out the rotation. Cotton won his fifth Andrew Gaze Trophy, eighth NBL scoring title, fourth Fans’ MVP award and eighth All-NBL First Team selection before claiming a record-breaking seventh Gordon Ellis Medal as Perth’s club MVP. Doolittle received the Players’ Player and Best Defensive Player awards, Henshall was named Most Improved and Harris (2.8 points across 28 games) received the Coaches’ Award.

Perth closed the regular season against Adelaide at RAC Arena on February 7, where Cotton (49 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal) played all 40 minutes as the Wildcats won 112-104, with Pinder (18 points and 11 rebounds) and Windler (15 points, 12 rebounds, and 2 steals) producing double-doubles, while Davis (34 points and 8 assists) led the 36ers. The performance was Cotton’s sixth game of at least 40 points, making him the first player since Gaze in 1993 to reach that mark six times in one season as Perth finished third with an 18-11 record.

Perth opened the postseason against South East Melbourne in the Seeding Qualifier, defeating the Phoenix 122-105 behind Pinder (35 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 blocks), Cotton (27 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Doolittle (20 points, 11 rebounds, and 5 assists), while Angus Glover (25 points and 2 steals), Hurt (24 points and 3 steals) and Nathan Sobey (22 points, 5 rebounds, and 8 assists) led South East Melbourne.

Game one of the semifinals moved to John Cain Arena, where Melbourne defeated Perth 105-93 behind Chris Goulding (41 points) and Ian Clark (22 points), with Jack White (13 points and 10 rebounds) completing a double-double. Pinder (24 points, 11 rebounds, and 3 assists), Doolittle (22 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) and Cotton (22 points and 6 assists) led the Wildcats.

Facing elimination at RAC Arena, Perth overcame a 14-point halftime deficit to win game two 96-89, with Windler (27 points, 11 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 4 blocks), Cotton (18 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Doolittle (17 points, 11 rebounds, and 6 assists) driving the comeback. Goulding (15 points), Matthew Dellavedova (13 points, 8 rebounds, and 12 assists) and Clark (13 points) led Melbourne as Perth forced a deciding third game.

Game three returned to John Cain Arena, where Doolittle (37 points, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals), Pinder (15 points and 5 rebounds) and Windler (13 points and 7 rebounds) helped Perth trade the lead with Melbourne throughout the night, while Clark (38 points) and White (15 points and 9 rebounds) led United. After three offensive rebounds, Wagstaff (3 points and 4 rebounds) made a three-pointer with 2.9 seconds remaining to tie the scores, but Robert Loe (2 points and 2 rebounds) inbounded to Dellavedova (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 11 assists), who found Goulding (30 points and 4 rebounds) before Henshall (9 points, 5 rebounds, and 4 assists) was called for a foul with 0.8 seconds remaining. Goulding made the first free throw and deliberately missed the second as Melbourne won 113-112 and took the series 2-1, with Cotton (33 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) playing all 40 minutes.

ADELAIDE 36ERS
2025/26
After finishing sixth with a 13-15 record, defeating Sydney 95-88 in the Play-In Qualifier and then losing 85-75 to South East Melbourne, Adelaide entered Mike Wells’ second season without Kendric Davis (to Sydney), Sunday Dech (to Perth), Lat Mayen (to Perth), Nick Marshall (to Tasmania) and Jason Cadee (retired), while Dejan Vasiljevic, Isaac Humphries, Keanu Rasmussen and Ben Griscti returned from the previous season’s group.

Wells added Bryce Cotton (via Perth), Flynn Cameron (via Melbourne), Isaac White (via Brisbane), Michael Harris (via Perth), Matt Kenyon (via South East Melbourne), Zylan Cheatham (via Nagoya) and Nick Rakocevic (via Puerto Rico) as Adelaide rebuilt the roster around a deeper and more experienced rotation.

The 36ers signed Cotton to a three-year deal after his nine-season stint with Perth ended, completing one of the biggest free-agency moves in NBL history. The switch reunited him with Wells, who had worked with Cotton during his 2015 stint with the Utah Jazz, and he was appointed co-captain alongside Humphries and Vasiljevic.

Adelaide opened the season at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre on September 28, where Cotton (39 points, 3 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) made 14 of 23 field goals and six of nine three-pointers in an 87-80 win over Brisbane, with Humphries (13 points and 6 rebounds) and Cheatham (8 points, 14 rebounds, 5 assists, and 3 steals) providing support, while Casey Prather (20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) led the Bullets.

Cotton (25.9 points, 3.7 rebounds, 7.6 assists, and 1.6 steals across 41 games) led Adelaide in scoring and playmaking during his first season with the club, combining his usual scoring output with a greater role creating for teammates while helping the 36ers remain near the top of the ladder throughout the season.

His best game came in Cairns on October 18, where Cotton (53 points, 2 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) made 16 of 29 field goals, five three-pointers and all 16 of his free throws as Adelaide defeated the Taipans 91-86. Cameron (14 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 assist) and Humphries (8 points, 3 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) provided support, while Andrew Andrews (23 points, 2 rebounds, and 7 assists) led Cairns as Cotton broke Darryl Pearce’s Adelaide single-game record of 48 points, which had stood since 1988.

Cotton delivered another game-winner against New Zealand on January 23, finishing with 33 points, 5 rebounds, 9 assists, and 1 steal before making a step-back three-pointer with one second remaining in overtime to give Adelaide a 112-110 road win. Jenkins (24 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists) and Cameron (17 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals) helped the 36ers end a two-game losing streak and remain clear in top spot, while Izaiah Brockington (24 points, 4 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led the Breakers.

On February 14, Cotton (42 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) played all 40 minutes and made seven three-pointers as Adelaide overturned a fourth-quarter deficit to defeat New Zealand 92-89 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, with Vasiljevic (19 points, 3 rebounds, and 1 assist) and Cheatham (12 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) helping the 36ers outscore the Breakers 33-18 in the final period, while Parker Jackson-Cartwright (25 points, 3 rebounds, and 7 assists) led New Zealand as Adelaide returned to the top of the ladder at 23-9.

Troy Brown Jnr (4.6 points and 4.5 rebounds across 13 games; via Puerto Rico) joined as Adelaide’s third import in November before leaving in January for personal reasons, with John Jenkins (9.7 points across 18 games) signed as an injury replacement and later filling the vacant import position.

Cotton led the NBL in scoring and assists before winning his sixth Andrew Gaze Trophy and third consecutive league MVP award with 96 votes, finishing ahead of Davis (25.1 points, 3.7 rebounds, and 7.1 assists across 40 games; 94 votes). He moved within one of Andrew Gaze’s record seven MVP awards, earned All-NBL First Team selection and also received the Champion Fans’ MVP and Three-Pointer of the Year awards, with his overtime winner against New Zealand selected as the season’s best three-pointer.

Humphries (12.6 points, 5 rebounds, and 1.5 blocks across 42 games), Cheatham (12 points, 9.8 rebounds, and 4.1 assists across 42 games), Cameron (11.2 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 3.2 assists across 42 games), Vasiljevic (10.7 points across 42 games) and Rakocevic (8.8 points and 6.5 rebounds across 39 games) formed the remainder of Adelaide’s main rotation. Cheatham earned All-NBL Second Team selection and Adelaide’s Defensive Award, Cameron won the NBL and club Most Improved awards, Humphries received the Coaches Award and Rakocevic claimed the Chairman’s Award, while Cotton also received the Mark Davis club MVP and Members’ Choice awards.

Cotton missed Adelaide’s final regular-season game with back soreness as Perth defeated the 36ers 86-74 at RAC Arena on February 20. Rakocevic (18 points, 7 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 blocks) and Cheatham (11 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 assist) led Adelaide, while Elijah Pepper (22 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists) was Perth’s best as the 36ers finished second with a 23-10 record.

Cotton returned for the inaugural Ignite Cup Final on the Gold Coast two days later and finished with 34 points, 3 rebounds, and 9 assists, while Rakocevic (21 points, 11 rebounds, and 2 assists) also starred, but Jackson-Cartwright (29 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals) led New Zealand to a 111-107 win and was named Ignite Cup MVP.

Adelaide opened the semifinals at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre with a 104-97 win over South East Melbourne, taking control of the series behind Cotton (42 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists), Vasiljevic (17 points, 1 rebound, 2 assists, and 1 steal) and Rakocevic (14 points, 10 rebounds, and 1 block), while Nathan Sobey (23 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) and Angus Glover (14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led the Phoenix.

Game two moved to John Cain Arena, where Cotton (29 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and Rakocevic (18 points, 10 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal) led Adelaide, but Sobey (41 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 assists) made eight three-pointers and John Brown III (12 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) helped South East Melbourne win 101-92 and force a deciding game.

Game three returned to Adelaide, where Cotton (38 points, 6 rebounds, and 7 assists), Vasiljevic (27 points, 2 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Rakocevic (14 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 block) led the 36ers to a 108-96 win, while Ian Clark (32 points, 4 rebounds, 1 assist, and 2 steals) and Sobey (17 points, 2 rebounds, 8 assists, and 1 steal) led the Phoenix as Adelaide advanced to its first Championship Series in eight years.

The Championship Series opened at Qudos Bank Arena, where Cotton (10 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals), White (11 points, 2 rebounds, and 1 assist) and Humphries (10 points, 4 rebounds, and 1 assist) led Adelaide, but Davis (25 points, 1 rebound, 7 assists, and 1 steal) and Tim Soares (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) carried Sydney to a 112-68 win.

Game two moved to Adelaide, where Cotton (28 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) scored 15 points in the fourth quarter before going the length of the court and making a left-handed lay-up over Torrey Craig as time expired to give the 36ers a 91-89 win and end Sydney’s 14-game winning streak. Cameron (17 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 steal) and Jenkins (14 points) also contributed, while Davis (20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals) and Xavier Cooks (18 points, 10 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) led the Kings as Adelaide levelled the series.

Game three returned to Sydney, where Cotton (15 points, 3 rebounds, 12 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Jenkins (22 points, 1 rebound, and 2 assists) and Cheatham (17 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block) led Adelaide, but Davis (34 points, 2 rebounds, and 15 assists) controlled the game without committing a turnover and Cooks (18 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 blocks) helped Sydney win 106-93.

Game four moved back to the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, where Cheatham (23 points, 8 rebounds, 9 assists, and 2 steals), Cotton (19 points, 5 rebounds, and 12 assists) and Vasiljevic (19 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, and 1 steal) led the 36ers, while Davis (22 points, 4 rebounds, and 10 assists) and Jaylin Galloway (20 points and 1 assist) kept Sydney close. Cotton made two free throws with one minute remaining to put Adelaide ahead 92-90 before Craig split his foul shots with 2.8 seconds left, leaving Cotton’s free throws as the winning points in a 92-91 victory that forced a deciding game.

Game five was played at Qudos Bank Arena, where Soares (20 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) grabbed the offensive rebound and made the tying putback with 4.6 seconds remaining before Cotton drove for a potential championship-winning lay-up at the end of regulation but could not convert. Sydney outscored Adelaide 18-6 in overtime and won 113-101 in front of 18,589 fans, with Davis (35 points, 1 rebound, 14 assists, and 1 steal) named Championship Series MVP and Cooks (19 points, 12 rebounds, 4 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) also starring, while Cotton (35 points, 4 rebounds, 9 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Cheatham (15 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Rakocevic (11 points, 13 rebounds, and 2 assists) led Adelaide as Sydney claimed the series 3-2.

Cotton received Australian citizenship at a ceremony in Adelaide in September 2025, making him a local player in the NBL.Bryce Cotton currently plays for the Adelaide 36ers and has played 294 games in his NBL career. He has averaged 23.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 4.7 assists since entering the league in 2016.

CURRENT CONTRACT:

Adelaide 36ers – 3 Year Deal (2025-28)

CAREER RANKINGS:
– 25th in total points
– 21st in total assists
– 39th in total steals

HIGHLIGHTS: