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Utah Jazz: Former Jazzman Bryce Cotton named Australian MVP

By Ryan Aston

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 18: Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats drives under the basket during the round 19 NBL match between the Perth Wildcats and the Cairns Taipans at Perth Arena on February 18, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)
PERTH, AUSTRALIA - FEBRUARY 18: Bryce Cotton of the Wildcats drives under the basket during the round 19 NBL match between the Perth Wildcats and the Cairns Taipans at Perth Arena on February 18, 2018 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images) /
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Former Utah Jazz point guard Bryce Cotton has found success in Australia with the NBL’s Perth Wildcats. This week he captured the league’s MVP honors.

While the Utah Jazz arguably boast more international flair than any other team, their Aussie ties may stand out most. After all, Australia has given the Jazz both a No. 5 overall pick in Dante Exum and the ultimate glue guy and one charismatic cat in Joe Ingles. Aussies like Brock Motum, Nathan Sobey and Mitch Creek have all had cups of coffee with the team, too.

Apparently it’s a two-way exchange — a former Jazzman is currently in the Land Down Under tearing up the NBL in a major way.

For more than a year now, point guard Bryce Cotton has been balling out for the Perth Wildcats. Last year, he helped the team to its second league title in a row, and dropped 45 points in Game 3 of the NBL Grand Final.

The success has only continued this season. Along with former Jazz summer leauger J.P. Tokoto, Cotton has Perth back in contention for yet another title. They’ll tip-off a semi-final match-up with the Adelaide 36ers (Creek and Sobey’s squad) on Saturday.

For his efforts, Cotton has officially captured MVP honors.

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Cotton has averaged 19 points, three assists and three rebounds per game for the Wildcats this season. He’s also been one of Aussie hoops’ top marksmen, leading the NBL in 3-pointers made and knocking down 44 percent of his triples.

As a result, he won the MVP vote in a landslide; Tokoto finished fifth.

Long-time Jazz fans will recall that Cotton played 15 games in Utah during the 2014-15 season. After a D-League call-up, Cotton earned consecutive 10-day contracts before getting signed for the remainder of the season. Over that span, he averaged 5.3 points in just over 10 minutes per game.

Of course, his best moment in a Jazz uniform was this monster alley-oop dunk, an incredible feat for the 6-foot-1, 165-pound Cotton —

Make no mistake about it — his time with the team was brief, but Cotton definitely made an impression in Jazzland.

Still just 25 years old, Cotton definitely remains on the NBA radar. Especially given his overseas success. Whether or not his size will preclude him from hanging in the Association remains to be seen. In the meantime, though, the former Jazzman and God Shammgod protege is owning the court on the other side of the world.

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