- Andrew Gaze MVP Awards Night Held in Melbourne
- The MVP award is named after Gaze, who won the award four times
- Now another player has also won the MVP crown four times
Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton can boast being the second most decorated player in NBL history behind Australian basketball legend Andrew Gaze after winning his fourth league MVP award.
The Wildcats star has entered the GOAT discussion after tying champion Melbourne Tigers at The Andrew Gaze MVP Awards Night at CIEL The Venue in Melbourne.
It was a night of glitz and glamor to celebrate another successful year of the national basketball competition that once again set streaming and viewership records this season.
That included special guests like the Chicago Bulls’ three-time NBA champions Scottie Pippen and Horace Grant.
Pippen launched the 2023/24 NBL season and returned to Australia in February for a speaking tour, alongside his championship-winning Chicago Bulls teammates, Australian Luc Longley and Grant.
Nigerian-born Australian singer-songwriter Timomatic was the musical talent at the Andrew Gaze MVP Awards night.
The Andrew Gaze MVP Awards Night celebrated another successful year for the NBL with viewership and streaming records once again broken.
Chicago Bulls champions Scottie Pippen, Horace Grant and Australian Luc Longley were special guests at the Andrew Gaze MVP Awards night.
Wives and girlfriends of NBL players pose for a photo at the Andrew Gaze MVP Awards night
The crowd was rocked by Nigerian-born Australian singer and performer Timomatic, who rose to fame on the 2011 edition of So You Think You Can Dance Australia.
She performed several of her hits, including Set It Off, to thrill the crowd at the gala event.
Cotton claimed the league’s top individual honor again on Monday night, ahead of New Zealand Breakers shortlisted import Parker Jackson-Cartwright and Melbourne United sharpshooter Chris Goulding.
Cotton joins Gaze as the only two players to have won the MVP award more than three times, having previously won it in 2018, 2020 and 2021.
Melbourne Tigers great Gaze won the award that now bears his name a record seven times, including five straight seasons from 1994 to 1998.
Cotton once again led the NBL in scoring this season, for the seventh time in eight years, averaging 23.15 points per game.
Andrew Gaze (left) is Australian basketball royalty and now Bryce Cotton is the only other player to have won as many MVP awards as the former champion Melbourne Tigers.
Tahjere McCall, Cairns’ Patrick Miller and Melbourne United’s Ian Clark arrive ahead of the 2024 NBL MVP Awards Night
Australian Boomers and Melbourne United veteran Brad Newly has called time on his decorated career and the NBL playoffs will be his final games in professional basketball.
The 31-year-old American guard also averaged 4.3 assists, 3.9 rebounds and 1.6 steals, leading Perth (17-11) to second place in the standings behind Melbourne.
Cotton missed the Wildcats’ loss to Tasmania on Sunday due to a knee injury, but will likely return for the Finals.
Even though Goulding was passed over for the Most Valuable Player award, Melbourne did not go home empty-handed from the league’s awards ceremony.
Dean Vickerman was named coach of the year for leading United to the top of the regular season standings after finishing seventh and missing the final last year.
Goulding’s teammates Ian Clark and Shea Ili were also recognized, named best sixth man and best defensive player, respectively.
Tasmanian JackJumpers combo guard Sean Macdonald was named the league’s most improved player, and Illawarra Hawks forward Sam Froling won the Next Generation award.