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Nearly a decade later, Cotton\u2019s story stands as one of the defining chapters in modern NBL history \u2013 and remarkably, it was almost over before it truly began.<\/p>\n
Foxsports.com.au sat down with five-time NBL championship coach Trevor Gleeson to reflect on Cotton\u2019s remarkable journey, the pivotal moments that shaped his career, and the decision that changed everything.<\/p>\n
\u2018OH NO, WHAT IS GOING ON\u2019<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton joined the Perth Wildcats ahead of their January 7, 2017 matchup against the Sydney Kings at Qudos Bank Arena at just 24 years of age. His impact was immediate.<\/p>\n
Cotton poured in 12 points in the opening quarter and finished with a game-high 26 points in a debut that instantly turned heads across the league.<\/p>\n
At the time, the Wildcats were anchored to the bottom of the ladder and dealing with injuries to key figures such as Damian Martin. Cotton\u2019s arrival reignited belief within the group and around the club as Perth attempted to salvage its season and extend its remarkable run of consecutive finals appearances.<\/p>\n
As Cotton\u2019s form continued to build, attention from overseas followed quickly \u2013 and before long, the NBA came calling.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats in action during the round 14 NBL match between the Sydney Kings and the Perth Wildcats at Qudos Bank Arena on January 7, 2017 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Metcalfe\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cWe start to go up in the ladder and it was towards the end of the season, Bryce got an offer from the Atlanta Hawks,\u201d Gleeson told foxsports.com.au.<\/p>\n
\u201cI woke up one morning and I\u2019d missed five calls, six calls. I look and it\u2019s Bryce\u2019s agent and I go, \u2018Oh no, what\u2019s going on?\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSo, I rang up and he said, \u2018Listen, Bryce has got a 10-day offer with the Atlanta Hawks.\u2019 And I kind of thought, \u2018Oh, well\u2019.\u201d<\/p>\n
The timing could not have been worse.<\/p>\n
Perth were surging after a slow start, climbing as high as second on the ladder, and finals eligibility rules meant the Wildcats would be unable to replace Cotton if he departed.<\/p>\n
\u201cI rang Bryce up \u2013 this is about 6.30 in the morning. Phone goes straight through to the message bank,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI thought, \u2018OK, well, they\u2019re organising his flights and he\u2019s all good\u2019.<\/p>\n
\u201cTried a couple of times, couldn\u2019t get hold of him. And then I drove into work around seven and then I see Bryce. I said, \u2018Bryce, congratulations, man. I\u2019m so proud of you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
What followed would not only surprise Gleeson \u2013 it would shape the future of the club and define Cotton\u2019s legacy.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said, \u2018Coach, I\u2019m not going. I\u2019m going to stay here and I want to win a championship,\u2019\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve never won a championship before. After that moment, I still get goosebumps thinking about just what he sacrificed to stay in Perth to win that championship in 2017.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gleeson immediately brought the group together to deliver the news.<\/p>\n
\u201cI got all the guys together and said, \u2018Guys, you\u2019re not going to believe this. Our best player, our import, Bryce, just got an offer for 10 days to go to the Hawks,\u2019\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe wants to win a championship with you guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jameel McKay, Angus Brandt, Damian Martin, Casey Prather and Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats pose with the trophy after winning game three and the NBL Grand Final series between the Perth Wildcats and the Illawarra Hawks at Perth Arena on March 5, 2017 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Looking back, the decision still stands out.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was one of the most unselfish things I have seen,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
From that moment on, the Wildcats did not lose another game.<\/p>\n
Perth won seven straight, finishing the season with a 13-4 record between December 31 and March 5. They swept the Cairns Taipans 2-0 in the semi-finals before dismantling the Illawarra Hawks 3-0 in the Grand Final series to claim their eighth championship \u2013 just the second time in club history they had defended a title.<\/p>\n
Cotton was electric on the game\u2019s biggest stage, setting a new Grand Final scoring record with 45 points in Game 3. He went on to claim Grand Final MVP honours, averaging 27.7 points per game across the series.<\/p>\n
HOW THE WILDCATS SECURED COTTON IN JUST 24 HOURS<\/p>\n
Fresh off a championship, Gleeson was at NBA Summer League preparing for the 2017-18 season when another defining conversation unfolded.<\/p>\n
\u201cBryce called me and said, \u2018Where are you, coach?\u2019 So we caught up at Summer League,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe said to me, \u2018Coach, why haven\u2019t you signed me or put an offer to me?\u2019 And I said, \u2018I just thought you were going to the NBA or Europe.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n
Cotton made his intentions clear. He wanted to return to Perth.<\/p>\n
Gleeson immediately contacted former owner Jack Bendat.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats talks with Wildcats owner Jack Bendat after winning the round 19 NBL match between the Perth Wildcats and the Brisbane Bullets at RAC Arena on February 09, 2020 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cWithin 24 hours, we had his signature on a piece of paper that he was coming back to Perth,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
That season, the Wildcats finished third with a 16-12 record but were eliminated by the Adelaide 36ers in the semi-finals. It would prove to be the only stumble in an otherwise dominant era under Gleeson, who coached Perth for three more seasons, winning two additional championships and reaching another Grand Final.<\/p>\n
During that stretch, Cotton added two NBL championships, two NBL MVPs and two Club MVPs to his growing resume.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he got robbed one or two (MVPs) when I was there,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey got sick of him, and they thought someone else has got to have it.\u201d<\/p>\n
From then Gleeson would leave the Perth Wildcats and join the Toronto Raptors as an assistant coach between 2021-2023 and the Milwaukee Bucks as an assistant for the 2023-2024 season.<\/p>\n
THE BIG NBA QUESTION<\/p>\n
There are players whose careers invite debate, and then there are players whose careers demand explanation.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton falls firmly into the latter category.<\/p>\n
In the modern NBL era, no player has combined longevity, dominance and sustained postseason excellence like Cotton.<\/p>\n
Five MVP awards, three championships, two Grand Final MVPs and eight All-NBL First Team selections do not simply place him among the league\u2019s elite \u2013 they separate him from them.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats poses after being named the Andrew Gaze NBL MVP presented by Hungry Jack’s during the 2024 NBL MVP Awards Night at CIEL The Venue on February 19, 2024 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Graham Denholm\/Getty Images for NBL)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
This is not a resume built on a single great season or a short peak; it is the body of work of a player who has defined an era.<\/p>\n
And yet, for all that dominance, one question has followed Cotton throughout his career: why didn\u2019t the greatest player of this era return to the NBA?<\/p>\n
It is an easy question to ask. It is a far more complicated one to answer.<\/p>\n
As the NBL has grown into one of the strongest domestic leagues in the world \u2013 a league that now consistently feeds talent into the NBA \u2013 Cotton\u2019s absence from the sport\u2019s biggest stage has only become more conspicuous.<\/p>\n
Especially given that many players with lesser resume have carved out lengthy NBA careers.<\/p>\n
\u201cBryce is the best import that I\u2019ve coached in Australia,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHis skill set is unbelievable. He can shoot, drive and finish under pressure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Head Coach of the Perth Wildcats, Trevor Gleeson (right) talks with Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats during the NBL semi-final match between the Perth Wildcats and the Brisbane Bullets at RAC Arena in Perth, Thursday, February 28, 2019. (AAP Image\/Richard Wainwright)Source: AAP<\/p>\n
But for Gleeson, NBA careers are not determined by ability alone. They are shaped by a far narrower set of circumstances \u2013 ones that often sit outside a player\u2019s control.<\/p>\n
\u201cNot all the best players are in the NBA,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI can name a number of players that played there for 10-12 years that would struggle in the NBL.\u201d<\/p>\n
In a league with roughly 450 roster spots, Gleeson points to three factors that ultimately determine who sticks and who doesn\u2019t: timing, role and circumstance.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s the fit in the team. It\u2019s a salary cap. And sometimes it\u2019s even your mateship,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
Cotton\u2019s NBA resume \u2013 23 games across stints with Utah, Phoenix and Memphis \u2013 reflects that reality. The opportunities were there, but the alignment never fully was. And once Cotton established himself as a franchise cornerstone in Perth, the cost of walking away from that certainty only grew.<\/p>\n
TIMING, SIZE AND A LEAGUE THAT CHANGED AROUND HIM<\/p>\n
If there is one factor that looms largest over Cotton\u2019s NBA story, it is timing.<\/p>\n
The NBA Cotton entered is not the NBA that exists today. Over the past two decades, the league has steadily shifted away from smaller, score-first guards and toward size, length and positional versatility.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton #11 of the Perth Wildcats is pursued by Dante Exum #11 of the Utah Jazz in the first half of a preseason game at Vivint Smart Home Arena on September 29, 2018 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Gene Sweeney Jr.\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Gleeson believes Cotton\u2019s prime simply arrived at the wrong moment.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you\u2019re in that era with small guards like Allen Iverson, Bryce would be a 10 to 15-year vet,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow the guards have gotten big. Everyone wants a 6\u20194\u201d Josh Giddey or a Dyson Daniels-type player.\u201d<\/p>\n
That evolution does not diminish Cotton\u2019s skill \u2013 it reframes it.<\/p>\n
For years, undersized guards dominated the NBA: Allen Iverson, Jason Kidd and Steve Nash whilst even in the modern era, players like Fred VanVleet have proven that intelligence, toughness and elite shot-making can still overcome size.<\/p>\n
Allen Iverson, Steve Nash and Fred VanVleetSource: Getty Images<\/p>\n
During his time with the Raptors, Gleeson saw first-hand how those players survive \u2013 and thrive \u2013 at the highest level.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019d play a game, finish at 11 o\u2019clock. Freddie would be in at 8.30 the next morning shooting after playing 40 minutes the night before,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
The parallel is unmistakeable. The preparation. The professionalism. The obsession with marginal gains.<\/p>\n
Cotton has built his entire career on those same unseen habits.<\/p>\n
PROOF THAT NEVER FADED<\/p>\n
If any doubt remains about Cotton\u2019s NBA calibre, one performance provided a definitive reminder.<\/p>\n
In an NBLxNBA preseason matchup, the Perth Wildcats faced the Denver Nuggets. Cotton finished with 33 points in an eight-point loss \u2013 not against fringe players, but against Denver\u2019s core rotation.<\/p>\n
\u201cDenver started with their starters,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cJokic played. Murray played. All of them played in the first half.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt wasn\u2019t against the scrubs \u2013 it was against the best.\u201d<\/p>\n
Against one of the league\u2019s most dominant teams and its superstar core, Cotton did not simply belong \u2013 he imposed himself.<\/p>\n
It was a snapshot of what he has done repeatedly throughout his career: rise to the level of the moment, regardless of opponent.<\/p>\n
THE EVOLUTION OF COTTON<\/p>\n
Though no longer coaching in the NBL, Gleeson has continued to closely follow the league. Cotton\u2019s recent move to the Adelaide 36ers has highlighted yet another evolution in his game.<\/p>\n
Once viewed primarily as an elite scoring guard, Cotton has transitioned into a full-time playmaking role without sacrificing efficiency. This season, he is averaging 25.6 points per game while also posting a career-high 7.8 assists, leading the league in that category.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the 36ers celebrates with teammates after winning the round 11 NBL match between the Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers at RAC Arena, on December 07, 2025, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cHe keeps evolving his game. He keeps improving his game,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
Gleeson also reflected on the physical transformation Cotton has embraced.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen he first came, he had no muscles, he had no definition, he had no tattoos.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow you can see he\u2019s stronger. He can take hits, finish in traffic, and he\u2019s still playing at that very high consistency level.\u201d<\/p>\n
THE IMPACT THAT SHAPED THE LEAGUE<\/p>\n
When Bryce Cotton joined the NBL in 2017, the league itself was entering a period of rapid growth. Larry Kestelman had recently acquired a majority stake in the competition for approximately seven million dollars, signalling the beginning of a new era.<\/p>\n
Since then, the NBL has expanded with the introduction of two new teams, secured major broadcast agreements, attracted NBA-level talent, and consistently produced high-quality NBA draft prospects across multiple seasons.<\/p>\n
Through all of that evolution, one constant has remained: the league\u2019s premier player, and the influence he has had on the competition.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats and Lamelo Ball of the Hawks during the NBL round two match between the Perth Wildcats and Illawarra Hawks at RAC Arena in Perth, Friday, October 11, 2019. (AAP Image\/Tony McDonough)Source: AAP<\/p>\n
\u201cFrom 2017, when he came in, he solidified the NBL as one of the elite leagues in the world,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cNow they\u2019re saying, well, if Bryce is over there, why is he going back there?\u201d<\/p>\n
That global curiosity has helped reshape perceptions of the NBL. It has encouraged high-level international players \u2013 including former NBA champions \u2013 to view Australia as a legitimate destination, offering strong financial opportunities, a safe environment, and the appeal of an English-speaking country with a high quality of life.<\/p>\n
\u201cAustralia\u2019s a great place to live. The league is getting better and better and stronger, and the money\u2019s getting higher every year,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone\u2019s taking notice, everyone\u2019s watching, and better players are coming.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Gleeson, despite the league\u2019s financial growth and rising international profile, there has always been a familiar figure setting the standard at the top.<\/p>\n
\u201cBryce is still the number one player in the league,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s still raising his game to that elite level.\u201d<\/p>\n
While Cotton\u2019s on-court impact has been exceptional, his career has also involved significant financial sacrifice when compared to what he may have earned in the NBA.<\/p>\n
Based on industry estimates, Fox Sports believes Cotton has earned approximately $585,000 per season on average during his NBL career. By comparison, the NBA\u2019s collective bargaining agreement places the average minimum salary at roughly $1.4 million AUD per season.<\/p>\n
Across ten seasons in the NBL, that difference equates to an estimated $815,000 per year \u2013 or more than $8 million over the course of a decade.<\/p>\n
While those figures are projections, they provide important context. Although Cotton may have earned less financially, the impact he has had has been far greater \u2013 not just on a franchise, but on an entire league.<\/p>\n
Corey Williams interviews Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats following the game during the round one NBL match between the Perth Wildcats and the Brisbane Bullets at Perth Arena on October 7, 2017 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane\/Getty Images)Source: Supplied<\/p>\n
This is not to suggest Cotton could not have made an impact in the NBA. However, the contrast between chasing short-term contracts at the end of a roster and being the face of a franchise \u2013 and a competition \u2013 is significant.<\/p>\n
Cotton chose legacy, stability and fulfilment over uncertainty.<\/p>\n
And without a player of his calibre \u2013 and with the sustained dominance he has delivered \u2013 the NBL may never have found such a perfect ambassador around which to build its modern identity.<\/p>\n
THE LEGACY OF A GENERATION-DEFINING PLAYER<\/p>\n
While Bryce Cotton is far from the end of his career, his place in NBL history is already secure.<\/p>\n
He will be remembered for redefining excellence during a period of unprecedented growth for the league, for his five \u2013 and counting \u2013 MVP awards, and for setting a standard few players have ever reached.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s one of those players who come around once in a generation. I\u2019m so happy for his career,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
Bryce Cotton of the 36ers acknowledges spectators after a thank you tribute video to acknowledge his time with the Perth Wildcats during the round 11 NBL match between the Perth Wildcats and Adelaide 36ers at RAC Arena, on December 07, 2025, in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
\u201cHe\u2019s humble, he\u2019s coachable, he\u2019s friendly and he wants his teammates to improve.<\/p>\n
\u201cI look forward to watching him for another 10 years.\u201d<\/p>\n
As the conversation turns to the greatest player in NBL history, Gleeson is careful to draw a clear distinction between historical ranking and personal connection.<\/p>\n
In terms of legacy, he still believes the benchmark remains Andrew Gaze \u2013 while acknowledging just how close Cotton is getting.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think Andrew Gaze is still number one,\u201d Gleeson said.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he\u2019s raising and nipping at his heels, at his shorts and all the way to the jersey. I think he\u2019s on the way up to be at that level.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Gleeson, however, there is a separate debate that carries far more personal meaning \u2013 not about rankings across eras, but about the players he most cherished coaching.<\/p>\n
\u201cHim and Damo are neck and neck,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s just what they bring to the team and how humble they both are \u2013 not to get their own stats, just to win the game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Damian Martin and Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats celebrate after winning the NBL championship during game 4 of the NBL Grand Final Series between Melbourne United and the Perth Wildcats at Melbourne Arena on March 17, 2019 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane\/Getty Images)Source: Getty Images<\/p>\n
Nearly a decade on, Cotton\u2019s journey remains one of the most compelling stories the league has produced \u2013 a reminder that greatness is often defined by decisions made away from the spotlight.<\/p>\n
With years still left to write and milestones still to chase, the story is far from finished.<\/p>\n
And if this season delivers MVP number six and championship number four, Bryce Cotton\u2019s legacy will only grow louder.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"When Bryce Cotton stepped onto the floor for the Perth Wildcats in January 2017, few could have imagined…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":400818,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[557],"tags":[64,63,590,85],"class_list":{"0":"post-400817","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-nba","8":"tag-au","9":"tag-australia","10":"tag-nba","11":"tag-sports"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400817","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=400817"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/400817\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/400818"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=400817"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=400817"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=400817"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}