BIO: Kay grew up in Tamworth, New South Wales, and at aged 17, he moved to Sydney to attend Newington College, where he was selected to the Australian under 19s team.

NBL EXPERIENCE

Nicholas Kay made his NBL debut with the Townsville Crocodiles at 23 years of age. He scored six points in his first game.

After finishing sixth with an 11-17 record the previous season, Townsville entered the off-season with front office changes and financial limitations making player recruitment difficult after the Crocodiles had entered voluntary administration. Todd Blanchfield (to Melbourne), Steven Markovic (to Sydney), Mickell Gladness (not retained), Jacob Holmes (retired) and Greg Vanderjagt (retired and joined Townsville’s coaching staff) departed. Shawn Dennis retained Clint Steindl, Mitchell Norton, Mirko Djeric and Leon Henry, re-signed reigning NBL MVP Brian Conklin and added Nicholas Kay (via Metro State), Luke Schenscher (via Adelaide), Corey Maynard and Mitchell Young (both via Cairns) and import Jordair Jett. Conklin was appointed captain.

The signing was Kay’s first professional contract after four seasons at Metro State, bringing him back to Australia for his rookie NBL season.

Townsville opened the season against Melbourne United at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on October 9, where Kay (6 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist, and 1 block) made his NBL debut off the bench as the Crocodiles lost 99-84. Conklin (25 points and 5 rebounds) and Steindl (13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) led Townsville, while former Crocodile Blanchfield (29 points and 8 rebounds) was Melbourne’s leading scorer.

Kay (10.7 points and 6.6 rebounds across 28 games) played in every Townsville game and did not miss any through injury or illness. He came off the bench in the first seven games before making his first start against Sydney on October 30 and started 20 of the final 21 games, recording three double-doubles during his rookie season. Townsville followed its 0-2 start with road wins over Sydney and Perth, but a difficult stretch left the Crocodiles 2-9 by the end of October.

Kay collected his first double-double against Cairns at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on December 2, finishing with 16 points, 12 rebounds, and 1 assist as the Crocodiles defeated the Taipans 90-76. Jett (26 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) and Steindl (13 points and 3 assists) provided support, while Torrey Craig (18 points, 7 rebounds, 3 blocks, and 1 steal) led Cairns.

By the end of November, Townsville was sitting at the bottom of the ladder with a 4-10 record when Conklin (13.5 points and 6.6 rebounds across 13 games) (released) had his contract terminated due to what the club described as “sub-par performances”. Earlier in November, his elbow had broken Perth captain Damian Martin’s jaw during Townsville’s 89-77 victory over the Wildcats, with the NBL clearing Conklin of wrongdoing, before another elbow on Adelaide forward Mitch Creek resulted in a three-match suspension with two games suspended for the remainder of the season. Conklin later claimed reducing costs was the reason for his release. Omar Samhan (13.3 points and 8.9 rebounds across 12 games) (via Texas Legends) was signed for the remainder of the season as his replacement.

Townsville produced one of the most memorable finishes in club history against Adelaide on December 10. Kay (19 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 steals) scored the game-winning dunk as the Crocodiles recovered from 15 points down inside the final four minutes to win 101-100. Jett (21 points and 5 assists) and Steindl (15 points and 2 steals) provided support, while Djeric (12 points) made two three-pointers in the final 42 seconds before Steindl’s late steal set up Kay’s last-second dunk, and Jerome Randle (28 points and 7 assists) led Adelaide.

Schenscher (4.1 points and 3.1 rebounds across 13 games) battled ankle and back problems after rupturing a ligament in his left ankle in late October, restricting him to 13 games. Townsville junior Harry Froling (1.6 points across 9 games) (injury replacement) was used as an injury replacement for Schenscher. Maynard (6.1 points across 25 games) suffered an ankle injury in January and missed two games after being ruled out for two to three weeks, leading former Crocodile Chris Cedar (1.5 points across 2 games) (via Mackay) to return on a two-game injury-replacement contract.

Kay’s best game of the season came in Wollongong on February 6, where Kay (24 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assists) made 10-of-16 shots as Townsville lost 104-97 in overtime. Jett (19 points and 4 assists) and Samhan (13 points and 11 rebounds) provided support, while Kevin Lisch (29 points) led Illawarra.

Jett (15.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists across 28 games) led Townsville in scoring and was awarded the Kevin Sugars Medal as club MVP, while Steindl (12.7 points and 3.5 rebounds across 28 games) was named the NBL’s Most Improved Player. Norton (8.8 points across 28 games) and Djeric (5.3 points across 24 games) provided further support, while Kay was named NBL Rookie of the Year and Dennis was named NBL Coach of the Year. Townsville won seven of its final 14 games.

Townsville closed the season against Sydney at the Townsville Entertainment Centre on February 13, where Kay (15 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 assists) helped the Crocodiles defeat the Kings 126-123 in overtime. Samhan (25 points and 13 rebounds) and Steindl (25 points) led Townsville in scoring, while Jason Cadee (32 points, 4 rebounds, and 7 assists) was Sydney’s leading scorer. The win left Townsville seventh and second-last with an 11-17 record, including an 8-6 record at home and only three road wins.

In April, Townsville’s directors withdrew the Crocodiles from the 2016/17 season after deciding the club was no longer financially viable. Kay (to Illawarra) and Norton (to Illawarra) became free agents following the Crocodiles’ demise and both signed two-year deals with the Hawks despite receiving larger offers elsewhere, with former Townsville coach Dennis recommending they play under Rob Beveridge. Young (4.9 points and 4.1 rebounds across 27 games) (to Brisbane) departed, Steindl and Djeric moved overseas, Schenscher retired and Dennis moved to Japan.

ILLAWARRA HAWKS
2016/17
The Hawks would face a tough off-season in 2017, first losing Kevin Lisch to NSW rival Sydney who offered a very large contract to Kevin Lisch far above what the Hawks could afford. Then losing veteran Kirk Penney who would return to play for the New Zealand Breakers.

With the demise of the Townsville Crocodiles following the 2015/16 season, Norton and teammate Nick Kay immediately became free agents, both heavily sought after by a number of rival NBL clubs.

Despite receiving a number of higher financial offers, the prospect of playing under head coach Rob Beveridge resulted in both signing two-year deals to play with the Hawks.

Beveridge would replace Lisch with returning Hawk and former NBL MVP Rotnei Clarke, pair him with Marvelle Harris as the team’s second import and was able to retain his core group of Oscar Forman, Tim Coenraad, Rhys Martin and Kevin White.

With all the new faces, the Hawks struggled to start the season and after first four rounds they sat at the bottom of the ladder.

Behind a strong finish to the season from the high-scoring Clarke (17 points per game) the Hawks squeezed into the top four by one game and Norton finished the regular season averaging 8.2 points, 1.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists.

The Hawks faced the Adelaide in the semifinals, the 36ers had finished the season on top of the NBL Ladder and took game one easily, 93-78, behind Jerome Randle’s 26 points and 4 assists. In a major upset, the Hawks would go on to win games two (100–94) and three (106-98) ending the 36ers season in premature fashion. Rotnei Clark led the team in scoring with 20 points in the deciding game.

There they would face off against Beveridge’s former team, the Perth Wildcats, who would sweep the Hawks in three straight games and win their eighth NBL Championship.

Rotnei Clarke, the Hawks leading scorer, struggled against the Wildcats, with defensive player of the year Damian Martin limiting him to just eight shots in game one. On the other hand, Perth’s leading scorer Bryce Cotton couldn’t be stopped, etching his name in the record books after exploding for 45 points in game three and taking home the NBL Finals MVP award.

2017/18
After finishing fourth with a 15-13 record and reaching the 2017 NBL Grand Final, where they were swept by Perth, Illawarra entered 2017/18 with Marvelle Harris (to Team Challenge ALS) and Michael Holyfield (to Beijing Dongfang) leaving the team. Coach Rob Beveridge retained the majority of his Australian core and added imports Demitrius Conger (via Antwerp Giants) and Delvon Johnson (via Södertälje Kings). Beveridge said of Conger, “I always said we needed a stud three-man, and I feel very confident that we’ve found him.”

Kay had joined Illawarra (via Townsville) on a two-year deal in 2016 after the Crocodiles folded, choosing the Hawks despite receiving larger offers elsewhere because of the opportunity to play under Beveridge. Looking back on the move, he said, “I’d heard wonderful things and he was a great coach, so I really cherished that chance as well.”

Illawarra opened the season against Cairns on October 6, where Kay (4 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and a steal) started in an 88-87 loss, with Ogilvy (22 points, 11 rebounds, 3 assists, a steal, and a block) and Clarke (22 points) leading the Hawks, while Alex Loughton (19 points) was Cairns’ leading scorer.

Kay (11.7 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 1.4 steals across 28 games) started all 28 games and was one of four Hawks to appear in every game, while also leading Illawarra in steals. He did not miss a game through injury.

After Illawarra dropped its first three games, Kay (13 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and a block) was involved in a clash with Adam Gibson which sparked a third-quarter melee against Brisbane on October 22. The Hawks recovered from a 15-point first-quarter deficit to collect their first win of the season, defeating the Bullets 105-96 behind Clarke (26 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) and Conger (21 points, 6 rebounds, and 3 assists), while Perrin Buford (26 points and 9 rebounds) led Brisbane.

On January 13, Kay (20 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led Illawarra to a 90-79 win over New Zealand which kept its playoff hopes alive and improved the Hawks to 9-10. Conger (17 points and 9 rebounds) and Clarke (12 points, 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) provided support, while Edgar Sosa (20 points) led the Breakers.

Conger (19.7 points and 5.7 rebounds across 27 games) led Illawarra in scoring, finished second in MVP voting and earned All-NBL First Team honours, while Clarke (18 points across 25 games), Ogilvy (9.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks across 22 games), Norton (7.8 points across 19 games), Coenraad (6.9 points across 28 games), Ellis (6.7 points across 20 games) and Martin (5.9 points and 1.3 steals across 28 games) were the other major contributors. Conger missed one game after being suspended for striking Brad Newley, while Johnson (4.4 points and 4.6 rebounds across 28 games) remained with the Hawks for the entire season and no mid-season import change was made. White (2.8 points across 26 games) served as captain, while Forman (3.7 points across 26 games) played his final NBL season.

With Illawarra eliminated from playoff contention, Kay’s best game of the season came in the final game against minor premier Melbourne on February 18, where he made 11-of-16 shots and finished with a career-high 27 points, 7 rebounds, and a block as the shorthanded Hawks defeated United 94-84 at Hisense Arena. Coenraad (24 points and 6 rebounds) and Conger (20 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists, and 3 steals) helped Illawarra finish the season with consecutive road wins, while Tai Wesley (14 points) and Josh Boone (14 points) led Melbourne. Kay was named ESPN’s NBL Player of the Week for the final round as the Hawks finished fifth with a 12-16 record.

PERTH WILDCATS
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. With Matt Knight having retired during the previous campaign, JP Tokoto (to Israel), Lucas Walker (to Cairns), Jarrod Kenny (to Cairns), Dexter Kernich-Drew (to Cairns) and Derek Cooke Jr also departed. Perth added an Australian Boomers forward (via Illawarra) alongside Mitch Norton (via Illawarra), Tom Jervis (via Brisbane) and import Terrico White (via Seoul), while Rhys Vague was elevated from development player to the full roster and Bryce Cotton signed a new three-year deal.

On April 20, Perth secured its new Australian forward on a three-year deal after two seasons with Illawarra. The move came shortly after he helped Australia win gold at the Commonwealth Games, with the opportunity to contend for a title helping drive his decision to move west. “To keep that basketball dream going and the chance to win a championship one day, I’m really excited for that.”

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 trip also provided a return to Denver for the new forward, who had spent four years playing college basketball at Metro State, while Gleeson later cited the heavy loss to Utah as a catalyst for the Wildcats’ season.

Perth opened the regular season in Adelaide on October 11, where Kay (18 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 assists) made an immediate impact as the Wildcats defeated the 36ers 99-91, with Cotton (22 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal) and White (20 points and 3 rebounds) providing support, while Daniel Johnson (23 points, 11 rebounds, and 1 block) led Adelaide.

Kay (14.7 points, 8.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals across 34 games) delivered the best season of his NBL career to that point, improving his scoring, rebounding and playmaking while establishing himself as one of Perth’s most reliable players at both ends of the floor. He started every game during the regular season and playoffs and did not miss a game through injury.

Kay’s best game of the season came against New Zealand on November 25, where he finished with 22 points, 13 rebounds, 5 assists, and 1 steal as Perth recovered from a 48-35 halftime deficit to defeat the Breakers 91-86. White (21 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and Norton (14 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) helped Perth overcome the absences of Cotton and Martin and improve to 10-1, while Tai Wesley (16 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) was among New Zealand’s best.

Perth’s 10-1 start was disrupted by a growing injury list. Martin (5.4 points, 3.4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 28 games) missed six games with a right calf tear and Brandt (8 points and 5.5 rebounds across 31 games) missed three after suffering an ankle injury while playing for the Australian Boomers. Cotton (21.8 points, 4 rebounds, 3.7 assists, and 1.3 steals across 31 games) also missed games with thumb and hamstring injuries, while White (17 points and 4.3 rebounds across 30 games) was sidelined by hamstring and wrist problems. Kay remained available throughout the disruption, but Perth lost eight of its next ten games and fell to 12-9 by mid-January.

Despite increasing external pressure to activate a third import, Gleeson and the Wildcats backed their existing roster. Perth responded with consecutive wins over Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney, with Kay (16 points, 10 rebounds, 7 assists, and 1 steal) producing one of his strongest all-round performances against the Kings on January 27 as the Wildcats won 88-68. Steindl (18 points) and Cotton (16 points) led Perth’s scoring, while Andrew Bogut (11 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 blocks) was Sydney’s best as the Wildcats’ recovery developed into a six-game winning streak that carried them back to the top of the ladder.

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 Perth’s leading group. Kay’s consistent production was recognised with selection to the All-NBL First Team alongside Cotton, Bogut, Casper Ware and Lamar Patterson, while he also received 22 votes for the NBL’s Most Improved Player award to finish equal third with David Barlow. Cotton led the league in scoring, finished third in MVP voting and was also named to the All-NBL First Team.

Perth ended the regular season against Melbourne on February 17, where Kay (22 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 steals) matched his season-high scoring performance, with Wagstaff (12 points) and Cotton (11 points, 9 rebounds, and 3 assists) providing support, while DJ Kennedy (21 points, 15 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 block) led United to an 81-70 victory. Despite the loss, Perth finished first with an 18-10 record and secured a 33rd consecutive postseason appearance.

Perth opened its semifinal series against Brisbane at RAC Arena, where Kay (18 points, 10 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 2 blocks), Cotton (22 points, 5 rebounds, 6 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) and White (19 points, 5 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) led the Wildcats to an 89-59 victory. Cameron Gliddon (18 points and 4 rebounds) and Matt Hodgson (10 points, 7 rebounds, 1 steal, and 1 block) led Brisbane, who were restricted to four points in the final quarter.

Game two moved to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre, where Kay (16 points, 15 rebounds, and 1 steal), White (24 points and 3 rebounds) and Cotton (19 points and 10 assists) led Perth to an 84-79 victory. Kay and Cotton hit important three-pointers early in the fourth quarter as the Wildcats held off Brisbane, while Lamar Patterson (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals) and Hodgson (15 points and 2 blocks) led the Bullets as Perth completed the sweep and advanced to the Grand Final.

The Grand Final series opened at RAC Arena, where Kay (10 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks) impacted the game at both ends as White (19 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals) and Brandt (14 points and 7 rebounds) helped Perth defeat Melbourne 81-71. Casper Ware (19 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 steal) and Chris Goulding (15 points) led United as the Wildcats took a 1-0 series lead.

Game two moved to Melbourne Arena, where Kay (10 points, 8 rebounds, and 1 steal), Cotton (19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) and White (17 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists) led Perth, but Melbourne responded with a 92-74 victory behind Goulding (14 points), Ware (14 points) and DJ Kennedy (12 points, 14 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) to level the series 1-1.

Back in Perth for game three, Kay (8 points, 7 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block) contributed alongside White (31 points, 7 rebounds, and 3 assists), who made seven three-pointers, and Cotton (16 points, 4 rebounds, 10 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block) as the Wildcats overwhelmed Melbourne 96-67. Kennedy (13 points, 10 rebounds, 6 assists, and 1 steal) and David Barlow (13 points and 5 rebounds) were United’s best as Perth moved within one victory of the championship.

Game four returned to Melbourne Arena, where Kay (12 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block), Cotton (28 points, 3 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals) and White (20 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 assists) led Perth, while Ware (18 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1 block), Barlow (15 points, 4 rebounds, and 3 steals) and Goulding (15 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals) 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, won the series 3-1 and claimed 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 was re-signed to a three-year deal, while Damian Martin, Jesse Wagstaff and import Terrico White also re-signed. Bryce Cotton, Nick Kay, Mitchell Norton, Clint Steindl and Rhys Vague remained under contract, while Wani Swaka Lo Buluk was elevated from development player following Greg Hire’s retirement. Dario Hunt (via Charleroi) and Majok Majok (via New Zealand) were also added after Tom Jervis (retired) and Angus Brandt (to Pistoia) departed.

The Wildcats opened their title defence at RAC Arena on October 5 with a 94-93 win over Melbourne United. Cotton (21 points and 4 assists), White (20 points and 2 steals) and Kay (18 points, 8 rebounds, 7 assists, and 2 steals) led Perth, while Melo Trimble (25 points, 8 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.

Fresh from playing with the Australian Boomers at the World Cup, Kay (15.8 points, 8 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals across 34 games) continued his strong form during his second season with the Wildcats. Kay shot 49.5 per cent from three-point range across the season, the second-best single-season mark in Wildcats history among players meeting the club’s qualifying threshold.

Perth started the season strongly with a 5-1 record before consecutive losses saw them fall to 8-5 by Round 10. The Wildcats recovered by winning four straight games to close December with a 13-6 record. Captain Damian Martin (3.4 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 1.2 steals across 26 games) also played his 300th game for Perth during December before a left heel injury sidelined him throughout January.

After consecutive losses to begin 2020, Perth released Dario Hunt (8.6 points and 6 rebounds across 21 games) and signed seven-year NBA veteran Miles Plumlee, giving the Wildcats additional size inside. With only seven regular-season games remaining when he arrived, Plumlee was required to play in every game to qualify for the postseason.

On February 1, Kay played his 150th NBL game and finished with 21 points, 10 rebounds, and 4 assists as Perth defeated Sydney 110-100 at RAC Arena. Cotton (30 points and 5 steals) and Steindl (19 points) helped the Wildcats defeat the league-leading Kings, while Jae’Sean Tate (23 points and 9 rebounds) led Sydney as Perth secured its 34th consecutive finals appearance.

Eight days later, Kay produced one of his best regular-season performances, finishing with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 5 assists while making all three of his three-point attempts as Perth defeated Brisbane 85-72. Cotton (25 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists) and Steindl (14 points) provided support, while Lamar Patterson (25 points and 11 rebounds) led the Bullets.

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, while White was also unavailable with a knee injury. Kay again reached his regular-season-high with 23 points, adding 7 rebounds, 2 steals, and 2 blocks as the Wildcats defeated Adelaide 94-79, with Plumlee (14 points and 7 rebounds) and Steindl (14 points) providing support, 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.

Kay was selected to the All-NBL First Team for the second consecutive season and finished second in Perth’s Gordon Ellis Medal voting with 323 votes, behind Cotton’s 351. Cotton (22.6 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 1.6 steals across 32 games) 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 became the first import in NBL history to lead the league in scoring in three consecutive seasons. White (15 points and 3.6 rebounds across 30 games), 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.

Perth opened its semifinal series against Cairns with a 108-107 overtime win at RAC Arena. Cotton (42 points and 6 assists) made 10 three-pointers to tie the NBL finals record, while Kay (23 points, 9 rebounds, 6 assists, and 3 steals) hit a three-pointer with 30 seconds remaining in regulation to tie the game at 93. Scott Machado (31 points, 8 rebounds, and 9 assists), DJ Newbill (25 points) and Cameron Oliver (19 points and 18 rebounds) led Cairns.

Game two moved to Cairns, where the Taipans defeated Perth 85-74 behind Oliver (22 points and 19 rebounds) and Newbill (16 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals). Kay (10 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks), Steindl (18 points), White (13 points and 4 rebounds) and Cotton (11 points and 2 steals) led Perth as Cairns forced a deciding third game.

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. 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.

Game one of the Grand Final moved to Qudos Bank Arena, where Perth defeated Sydney 88-86 in front of 11,647 fans. Cotton (32 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists) led 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 11 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 13 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 Kay produced the best game of his season and a career-high scoring performance, making seven three-pointers and finishing with 30 points, 12 rebounds, and 4 assists as Perth defeated the Kings 111-96. Cotton (31 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists) and Plumlee (13 points, 7 rebounds, and 2 blocks) provided support, 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. “Definitely felt a lot more comfortable tonight out on the court, knowing the crowd wasn’t gonna be there,” Kay said after the win.

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 Kay his second championship in as many seasons with Perth. 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 4 May 2020, Kay opted out of the final year of his contract with the Wildcats to pursue international opportunities following changes to the NBL’s player salary agreement during the COVID-19 pandemic. In July, Kay (to Seville) signed with Real Betis in Spain.

Nicholas Kay played five seasons across three NBL teams. This included the Townsville Crocodiles, Illawarra Hawks and Perth Wildcats. He averaged 12.5 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists in 157 NBL games.