Bryce Cotton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Bryce Cotton

Cotton with the Perth Wildcats in 2022
No. 11 – Perth Wildcats
Point guard / shooting guard
Personal information
Born	(1992-08-11) August 11, 1992 (age 32) Tucson, Arizona, U.S.
High school	Palo Verde (Tucson, Arizona)
Listed weight	76 kg (168 lb)
Career information
College	Providence (2010–2014)
NBA Draft	2014 / Undrafted
Pro career	2014–present
League	NBL
Career history
2014–2015	Austin Spurs
2015	Utah Jazz
2015	Austin Spurs
2015–2016	Phoenix Suns
2016	Austin Spurs
2016	Xinjiang Flying Tigers
2016	Memphis Grizzlies
2016	Anadolu Efes
2017–present	Perth Wildcats
2018	Brescia Leonessa
Career highlights and awards
3× NBL champion (2017, 2019, 2020) NBL Cup winner (2021) 2× NBL Grand Final MVP (2017, 2020) 4× NBL Most Valuable Player (2018, 2020, 2021, 2024) 3× NBL Fans MVP (2019, 2021, 2024) 7× All-NBL First Team (2018–2024) 7× NBL scoring champion (2017, 2019–2024) NBA D-League All-Star (2015) All-NBA D-League Second Team (2015) NBA D-League All-Rookie First Team (2015) 2× First-team All-Big East (2013, 2014) Big East tournament MVP (2014)

Bryce Jiron Cotton (born August 11, 1992) is an American professional basketball player. He plays for the Perth Wildcats in Australia's NBL. Bryce is famous for being a four-time winner of the MVP Award. He has also helped his team win three championships.

Bryce Cotton has won many awards in the NBL. He is a two-time Grand Final MVP. He has been named to the All-NBL First Team seven times. He also led the league in scoring seven times.

Before playing professionally, Cotton played college basketball for four years. He played for the Providence Friars. He was a top player in the Big East Conference in 2013 and 2014. After college, he played short periods in the NBA for teams like the Utah Jazz and Phoenix Suns. He also played in other leagues around the world.

Cotton joined the Perth Wildcats in Australia during the 2016–17 NBL season. He quickly became a star. He led the Wildcats to an NBL championship in 2017 and was named the Grand Final MVP. He continued to achieve great success, winning more championships and MVP awards in the NBL.

Bryce Cotton's Early Life and High School Years

Bryce Cotton grew up in Tucson, Arizona. As a child, he loved playing many sports. He played basketball, football, and baseball. When he was in fifth grade, doctors advised him to stop playing football. This was because he had a health condition that made head injuries risky.

So, Bryce focused on basketball. He was not very tall, which was a challenge. His uncle, David Adams, who used to play in the NFL, helped him train. This training helped Bryce compete against taller players. Bryce's grandmother, Mary, also helped raise him and his brother.

Bryce went to Palo Verde High School in Tucson. In his senior year (2009–10), he helped his team win 24 games. They reached the state semifinals. He scored a lot of points, averaging 23.6 points per game. He even scored 40 points in one game! He also set a school record with a "triple-double." This means he had high numbers in three different stats: 37 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists. Bryce was a top player in his state and had excellent grades.

Even with his great high school record, Bryce was not highly sought after by colleges. Some colleges turned him down. He worked hard to find a scholarship to play college basketball.

Bryce Cotton's College Basketball Journey

Starting at Providence College

Bryce's family could not afford college tuition. His dream of playing college basketball seemed difficult. But then, Providence College offered him a scholarship. This happened just three days before he was supposed to start college! He joined the Providence Friars in August 2010. In his first year, he played 31 games and averaged 4.0 points per game.

Becoming a Key Player

In his second year (2011–12), Bryce became a regular starter. He was the team's second-highest scorer, averaging 14.3 points per game. He scored a career-high 34 points in a game against Bryant. He also had a fantastic game against Louisville, scoring 27 points.

Playing Through Injury

For his junior year (2012–13), Bryce took on a bigger role. He had to lead the team because other key players were injured. He got his first "double-double" (high numbers in two stats) with 24 points and 11 rebounds. Later, he injured his knee. Even though he tore a part of his knee, he decided to keep playing through the pain for the rest of the season. He led the Big East Conference in scoring, averaging 18.3 points per game. This earned him a spot on the All-Big East First Team. After the season, he had surgery to fix his knee.

Senior Year Success

In his final year (2013–14), Bryce played an incredible amount of time. He averaged over 40 minutes per game, which is very rare. His hard work helped the Friars have their best season in ten years. They won the Big East tournament, which was their first title since 1994. Bryce was named the tournament's Most Valuable Player (MVP). In the NCAA tournament, he scored a career-high 36 points against North Carolina.

As a senior, Bryce averaged 21.8 points and 5.9 assists per game. He was one of the best players in the Big East. He finished his college career as the fourth-highest scorer in Providence history.

Bryce Cotton's Professional Career

Early Years in the NBA and Overseas (2014–2016)

After college, Bryce Cotton was not chosen in the 2014 NBA draft. However, he signed with the San Antonio Spurs. He played in the NBA Development League (now G-League) for the Austin Spurs. He was a top scorer, averaging 22.4 points per game. He was even named an NBA D-League All-Star.

In February 2015, Bryce signed with the Utah Jazz. He made his NBA debut and played 15 games for them. He later played for the Phoenix Suns and the Memphis Grizzlies. Between his NBA stints, he also played in China for the Xinjiang Flying Tigers and in Turkey for Anadolu Efes. He decided to leave Turkey due to personal reasons.

Becoming a Star with the Perth Wildcats (2017–Present)

First Championship and MVP (2016–17)

Cotton in March 2017, standing in front of the Wildcats' championship trophy

In January 2017, Bryce joined the Perth Wildcats in Australia. He made an amazing debut, scoring 26 points. He quickly became a key player. He led the NBL in scoring for the regular season.

In the finals, Bryce was unstoppable. He scored 34 points in the first semi-final game. The Wildcats swept their series and reached the NBL Grand Final. They won the championship by beating the Illawarra Hawks 3–0. Bryce was named the Grand Final MVP. He scored an incredible 45 points in the final game, setting a new NBL Grand Final scoring record!

NBL Most Valuable Player (2017–18)

Bryce returned to the Wildcats for the 2017–18 NBL season. He was the highest-paid player in the NBL that season. He continued to dominate, scoring a season-high 36 points in one game. He led the league in three-pointers made and total points scored. For his outstanding performance, Bryce was named the NBL Most Valuable Player. He was also selected for the All-NBL First Team.

Second Championship (2018–19)

Cotton in March 2019, at Perth Airport after winning the NBL championship

Bryce signed a new three-year deal with the Wildcats in 2018. He continued to be a top scorer, hitting a game-winning three-pointer in one exciting game. He led the league in scoring for the second time. He was named the Fan's MVP and made the All-NBL First Team.

The Wildcats reached the NBL Grand Final again. They faced Melbourne United. Bryce helped the team win the series 3–1, securing his second NBL championship. He averaged 21.8 points per game that season.

Third Championship and Double MVP (2019–20)

Bryce came back for the 2019–20 NBL season after recovering from a thumb injury. He continued to be a scoring machine. He reached 2,000 career points faster than any other Wildcat player. He also set a career-high with 39 points in one game. Bryce became the first player in NBL history to lead the league in both scoring and steals in the same season.

He was named NBL MVP for the second time. In the semi-finals, he scored 42 points and made a career-high 10 three-pointers in one game. The Wildcats won the NBL Grand Final against the Sydney Kings. Bryce was named the Grand Final MVP again. He became the first Wildcat to win league MVP, Grand Final MVP, and a championship all in one season!

Third NBL MVP (2020–21)

Bryce re-signed with the Wildcats for three more years. He had another incredible season in 2020–21 NBL season. He set new career highs in points (23.5) and assists (5.7). He led the NBL in scoring for the fourth time. He also helped the Wildcats win the first-ever NBL Cup.

For his amazing performance, Bryce was named NBL MVP for the third time. He became one of only three players in NBL history to win the award three times. Unfortunately, he missed the grand final series due to an injury, and the Wildcats lost.

Continued Dominance (2021–22 and 2022–23)

Bryce fully recovered for the 2021–22 NBL season. He continued to be a top scorer, leading the NBL in scoring for the fifth time. He played all 28 games and scored the most points he ever had in a regular season. He also made the most three-pointers by a Wildcat in a regular season. He was named to the All-NBL First Team for the fifth year in a row.

In the 2022–23 NBL season, Bryce re-signed for another three years. He had a historic game with 23 points, 12 rebounds, 6 assists, and 6 steals. He was the first NBL player in the modern era to achieve such stats. He scored 40 points in a regular-season game for the first time in his NBL career. He led the NBL in scoring for the sixth time and was named to the All-NBL First Team for the sixth straight year.

Fourth NBL MVP (2023–24)

The 2023–24 NBL season started slowly for Bryce, but he quickly found his form. He scored 41 points in one game, helping the Wildcats win six games in a row. He reached 5,000 NBL career points, becoming only the third player in the NBL's modern era to do so.

Bryce led the league in minutes played and was the NBL scoring champion for the seventh time. He was named NBL MVP for the fourth time, joining Andrew Gaze as the only players to win four MVPs. He was also voted Fan's MVP and made the All-NBL First Team for the seventh year in a row.

Record-Breaking Performances (2024–25)

Bryce started the 2024–25 NBL season stronger than ever. On December 1, he scored an incredible 59 points in a game! This was the most points scored by any player in the NBL's 40-minute era. He broke the Wildcats' all-time scoring record set in 1987. This was also the most points in an NBL game since 1994.

He then scored 40 points in the next game, and 49 points in the game after that. This made him the first NBL player since 1991 to have three consecutive 40-point games. He continued this streak with a fourth straight 40-point game, a very rare achievement in the NBL.

Bryce Cotton's Career Statistics

NBA

Regular season

NBL

Regular season and playoffs

Source:

Bryce Cotton's Personal Life

Bryce Cotton is the son of Yvonne and Charles Cotton. He has a brother named Justin and two half-brothers, Chaz and Elijah. During his college years, Bryce was able to reconnect with his father. His uncle, David Adams, played football in the NFL.

Bryce is married to Rachel, who is from Perth, Australia. They have a daughter who was born in Australia in November 2019. Before 2020, Bryce would usually go back to the United States after each NBL season. He would split his time between Tucson and Providence, Rhode Island.

Images for kids

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  Cotton in March 2017, standing in front of the Wildcats' championship trophy

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  Cotton in March 2019, at Perth Airport after winning the NBL championship

See also

In Spanish: Bryce Cotton para niños