Bryce Cotton: 'Disrespect – I don’t tolerate that'

• ‍The five-time MVP has given a savage response after Damon Lowery comments about his Adelaide 36ers‍
• Bryce Cotton's drive for five makes history‍
• McGee vs Cotton: NBL26 Performances Tracker

Five-time MVP Bryce Cotton's explanation for responding to NBL commentator Damon Lowery was simple: "He gave his opinion on my teammates as basketball players; I gave my opinion on him as a basketball player. Same thing to me."

Cotton, 33, took exception to Lowery's assessment of the Adelaide 36ers and their offensive firepower to make a deep run in the NBL26 playoffs.

"I said exactly what I wanted to say," Cotton said on SEN radio in Adelaide today.

"There’s no history between us. I’m big on support and having my teammates’ backs.

"I don’t take to my teammates being undermined — especially the tone I took it in.

"He gave his opinion on my teammates as basketball players; I gave my opinion on him as a basketball player. Same thing to me.

"Be yourself, but be consistent and respectful. Even if you’re not talking highly about a player, keep the respect. If you want respect, you’ve got to give it.

"If he interviews me post-game, that’s fine. But if anyone disrespects our team, I’ll answer in a way people may not be used to, given how I carry myself.

"Disrespect and belittlement — I don’t tolerate that for my team or my teammates."

The criticism was clearly an issue for the 36ers, as Adelaide skipper Dejan Vasiljevic indirectly addressed in a post game press conference on Monday night.

"Tell the critics we’re 6–2 and playing good basketball," Vasiljevic declared.

"If you want Bryce to have 40 and we still lose, go for it — I’ll sit in the corner and be a decoy if that’s what helps us win.

"I also have to defend and rebound; I’ve shifted my mindset there. I’ll do whatever helps the team."

Cotton will face his former club Perth Wildcats for the first time on Sunday, November 9 in Adelaide.

"It’s just another game," Cotton said.

"No bad blood with teammates or coaches. It’ll be good to see the guys; I’ll crack a couple of jokes with Hayden, the team manager.

"Like any game, you want to come out with the win."

The Sixers are 6-2 and narrowly escaped against the defending champion Illawarra Hawks in Round 7 in Adelaide.

"Going into that game we knew it was going to be a dogfight," he said.

"In this league you can’t play teams based on their record — you have to respect everyone.

"You can be beaten by any team on any given night, whether they’re top of the ladder, middle of the pack, or last.

"With (JaVale) McGee, you know what you’re going to get from him, but the big piece for Illawarra is having (William) Hickey back.

"He’s the heart and soul of that team. He plays with grit and he puts up numbers — he’s a little stat stuffer.

"I think he almost had a triple-double versus us, then 20-something again versus Melbourne.

"He’s helping them get into their groove. I think Illawarra are going to find a little heater as the middle of the season takes shape."