Nine seasons ago, the Perth Wildcats added an import to their roster late in the season. At the time, nobody could have predicted the impact that player would have on the club and the league. That player is Bryce Cotton.
258 games later, he departs the club with three NBL Titles, a five-time league MVP, a two-time Grand Final MVP, and was selected to eight All-NBL First Teams. And that doesn’t include the club awards, all of which combine to make a trophy cabinet that would make Michael Jordan jealous.
Bryce Cotton announced his decision to depart the club this morning via his Instagram account saying, “Man.. to the red army y’all have welcomed me with open arms from the time I first stepped onto Aussie soil till I scored my last basket of the season a few weeks back. I came at the backend of the season my first year only expecting to be here 6 weeks, and it turned into accomplishing things that no other player has achieved in their first 9 seasons in the history of the league.”
Perth Wildcats Owner, Mark Arena said, “We cannot thank Bryce enough for what he’s done for our club across the past nine seasons.”
“His achievements at the Wildcats have been nothing short of historic and he will go down as one of the greatest players in our proud history.”
“While we’re obviously disappointed that Bryce isn’t going to continue his career at the Wildcats – and we know our fans will feel the same – we wish him the best for the future and have the utmost respect for what he’s achieved with our team.”
Cotton Highlights
Here are just some of Bryce Cotton’s highlights as a Perth Wildcats player, courtesy of ESPN Australia.
Perth Wildcats’ future
The Perth Wildcats will now focus on preparing for next season, scouting free agents to build a new-look team to challenge for their next NBL title.
Arena added, “Star players carry an incredible amount of mystique around them, but basketball is a team sport.”
“We’ve locked in some high-quality re-signings with Kristian Doolittle on a three-year deal, skipper Jesse Wagstaff staying with us for a remarkable 17th season and we’re looking forward to building out our roster over the coming weeks.”
