Former Jazz-Man Bryce Cotton Scores 45 Points in NBL Final

Sep 28, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Bryce Cotton (8) during media day at the Zion Bank Basketball Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 28, 2015; Salt Lake City, UT, USA; Utah Jazz guard Bryce Cotton (8) during media day at the Zion Bank Basketball Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Swinger-USA TODAY Sports

Bryce Cotton, best known for his time in the NBA with the Utah Jazz, dropped 45 points in Game 3 of the Australian NBL Finals to win the title for the Perth Wildcats.

If Utah Jazz fans don’t remember Bryce Cotton by name, they might remember the six-footer (looks more like five-foot-eight) by his vicious alley-oop (see the video below) that took place against the Dallas Mavericks at the end of the 2014-15 season.

During his 15-game stint with the Jazz, Cotton averaged 5.3 points, one assist and 1.2 rebounds in 10.6 minutes of play. Despite his limited court-time, he quickly became a fan favorite with his flashy passing, great handles and explosive leaping ability.

At the end of the season however, he was cut from the Jazz’s roster and after having a cup of coffee with the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies, he ended up signing a contract with the NBL’s Perth Wildcats just a few months back.

For those who don’t know, basketball is almost a minority sport in Australia because Aussie rules football gets so much attention. But on Saturday, Bryce Cotton captivated a nation with an unbelievable 45 point performance, carrying his team to the championship.

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As a Jazz fan, it’s great to see former players excelling around the NBA as well as internationally. Cotton scored his 45 points in just 17 field goal attempts, making 12 while shooting 7-of-12 from downtown and 14-15 from the free throw line. He also had three assists, three rebounds and three steals.

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Statistics courtesy of Basketball Reference and NBL.com. Video thanks to JLD Highlights on YouTube.