Bryce Cotton wins his sixth MVP by just TWO VOTES

• ‍Who's the real MVP: Bryce Cotton vs Kendric Davis‍
• Bryce Cotton's teammate says MVP vote 'will be a tie'‍
• Box Scores: All 165 games of the 2025-26 NBL season

Bryce Cotton vs Kendric Davis for the NBL26 Most Valuable Player Award has been decided at the league's awards night in Melbourne on Monday, February 23, 2026.

The winner is Adelaide 36ers superstar Bryce Cotton. He beat Sydney Kings star Kendric Davis by just two votes - 96 to 94.

Andrew Gaze Trophy for Most Valuable Player‍

• Winner: Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers): Bryce Cotton wins his sixth MVP award to go with 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024 and 2025. Next Stop: Andrew Gaze
• Runner-up: Kendric Davis (Sydney Kings)

Lindsay Gaze Coach of the Year‍

• Winner: Brian Goorjian (Sydney Kings). Goorjian wins his seventh Coach of the Year award after becoming the winningest coach in Australian sports history in 2026.
• Runner-up: Josh King (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

Defensive Player of the Year‍

• John Brown III (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

Finalists

• Will Magnay (Tasmania JackJumpers)
• Kristian Doolittle (Perth Wildcats)

All-NBL First Team

• Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers)
• John Brown III (South East Melbourne Phoenix)
• Kendric Davis (Sydney Kings)
• Kristian Doolittle (Perth Wildcats)
• Nathan Sobey (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

All-NBL Second Team

• Bryce Hamilton (Tasmania JackJumpers)
• Jack McVeigh (Cairns Taipans)
• Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand Breakers)
• Xavier Cooks (Sydney Kings)
• Zylan Cheatham (Adelaide 36ers)

Referee of the Year

• Michael Aylen (10-time referee of the year)

Dunk of the Year

• Sam Mennenga (New Zealand Breakers vs South East Melbourne Phoenix on Jordan Hunter)

Three-pointer of the Year

• Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers vs New Zealand Breakers)

Fans NBL26 MVP

• ‍Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers)

Sixth Man of the Year‍

• Angus Glover (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

Finalists

• Kouat Noi (Sydney Kings)
• Majok Deng (Tasmania JackJumpers)

Step One Next Generation Award‍

• Sam Mennenga (New Zealand Breakers)

Finalists:

• Karim Lopez (New Zealand Breakers)
• Owen Foxwell (South East Melbourne Phoenix)

NBL Most Improved Player

• ‍Flynn Cameron (Adelaide 36ers)

Finalists:

• Makuach Maluach (Sydney Kings)
• Sam Mennenga (New Zealand Breakers)

Gametime by Kmart Award

• ‍Malith Machar (Melbourne United)

Executive of the Year

• ‍Nic Barbato (Adelaide 36ers CEO)

Check out the Finalists for all awards below.

Davis spoke to Kelsey Browne about the respect he had for head coach Brian Goorjian during the show.

"He's like a father figure to me, he believed in me, I don't have a dad, so he's like my second dad,” Davis said.

"It feels good, there is positive energy around me now, and I will stay true to myself.”

Asked about his match-up with Bryce Cotton, Davis was coy but competitive (with a smile): “I wanna bust his ass every chance I get … the respect is there. I grew up watching him.

"MVP wasn’t my goal this year; it was being part of a brotherhood, a family, but every time I play him, I’m trying to bust his ass."

Damon Lowery says Kendric Davis deserves the MVP, while former MVP Derek Rucker has picked Cotton to win.