McGee vs Cotton: NBL26 Performances Tracker

• ‍Case Closed: McGee already the best player in the league‍
• Bryce Cotton's drive for five makes history‍
• Blue instead of Red but same MVP Bryce Cotton

"Bryce Cotton has entered the chat." ‍

That's the note one of my basketball.com.au colleagues sent to me after penning JaVale McGee is "already the best player in the league" after his debut performance against Tasmania.

There is little doubt Cotton, a five-time NBL MVP, and McGee, a three-time NBA champion, are already on All-NBL First Team pace and in a two-horse race for NBL26 MVP.

Cotton, 33, is on a mission and has dominated both Adelaide's wins while McGee has two monster double-doubles in Illawarra's two losses. Debate will boil for the remainder of the season between MVP and Best Player in the League: see Shai Gilgeous-Alexander vs Nikola Jokic.

basketball.com.au is in it for the long haul. We'll track both players By The Numbers across the rest of the season.

Verdict (so far)

• Bryce Cotton has been the offensive heartbeat of the NBL26 season, averaging over 30 points with elite shooting splits and playmaking.
• JaVale McGee has been a physical force — dominant inside, anchoring the Hawks defensively, and rebounding at an elite rate.

Yet across the first six outings, Cotton wins on total influence: he’s produced more points, higher usage with elite efficiency, and has created for others while maintaining composure and consistency.

Overall Verdict: Bryce Cotton has had the better start to the NBL26 season through Round 5.

NBL26 Performance Tracker – Bryce Cotton vs JaVale McGee

• ‍Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 5-1)
  GP: 6 I MIN: 35.9 I PPG: 30.7 I FGM: 10.0 I FGA: 19.2 I FG%: 52.2 I 3PM: 3.7 I 3PA: 8.2 I 3P%: 45.5 I FTM: 7.0 I FTA: 7.5 I FT%: 93.3 I OR: 1.0 I DR: 2.0 I REB: 3.0 I AST: 6.0 I TO: 2.5 I STL: 2.3 I BLK: 0.0 I PF: 1.2 I EFF: 29.8
• JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks 1-4)
  GP: 5 I MIN: 25.6 I PPG: 22.4 I FGM: 9.2 I FGA: 14.8 I FG%: 62.0 I 3PM: 0.0 I 3PA: 0.5 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 4.0 I FTA: 7.4 I FT%: 54.1 I OR: 3.9 I DR: 6.7 I REB: 10.6 I AST: 2.6 I TO: 3.2 I STL: 1.4 I BLK: 3.2 I PF: 3.6 I EFF: 27.6
  

NBL26 Box Scores

• ‍Game 1: JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks 0-1)
  ‍MIN: 30:44 I PTS: 32 I FGM: 15 I FGA: 20 I FG%: 75 I 3PM: 0 I 3PA: 0 I 3P%: 0 I FTM: 2 I FTA: 2 I FT%: 100 I OR: 3 I DR: 10 I REB: 13 I AST: 2 I TO: 4 I STL: 2 I BLK: 3 I PF: 3 I +/-: -2 I EFF: 43
• Game 1: Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 1-0)
  MIN: 36:59 I PTS: 39 I FGM: 14 I FGA: 23 I FG%: 60.9 I 3PM: 6 I 3PA: 9 I 3P%: 66.7 I FTM: 5 I FTA: 5 I FT%: 100 I OR: 0 I DR: 3 I REB: 3 I AST: 6 I TO: 3 I STL: 1 I BLK: 0 I PF: 1 I +/-: 8 I EFF: 37
• Game 2: Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 2-0)
  MIN: 35:11 I PTS: 28 I FGM: 11 I FGA: 18 I FG%: 61.1 I 3PM: 4 I 3PA: 8 I 3P%: 50.0 I FTM: 2 I FTA: 2 I FT%: 100 I OR: 0 I DR: 3 I REB: 3 I AST: 7 I TO: 2 I STL: 5 I BLK: 0 I PF: 0 I +/-: 34 I EFF: 34
• Game 2: JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks 0-2)
  MIN: 28:05 I PTS: 26 I FGM: 12 I FGA: 20 I FG%: 60.0 I 3PM: 0 I 3PA: 1 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 2 I FTA: 7 I FT%: 28.6 I OR: 4 I DR: 10 I REB: 14 I AST: 2 I TO: 2 I STL: 4 I BLK: 1 I PF: 5 I +/-: -1 I EFF: 32
• Game 3: JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks 0-3)
  MIN: 21:53 I PTS: 19 I FGM: 6 I FGA: 9 I FG%: 66.7 I 3PM: 0 I 3PA: 1 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 7 I FTA: 10 I FT%: 70.0 I OR: 0 I DR: 3 I REB: 3 I AST: 5 I TO: 5 I STL: 0 I BLK: 3 I PF: 2 I +/-: 7 I EFF: 19
• Game 3: Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 3-0)
  MIN: 37:35 I PTS: 29 I FGM: 6 I FGA: 12 I FG%: 50.0 I 3PM: 3 I 3PA: 5 I 3P%: 60.0 I FTM: 14 I FTA: 15 I FT%: 93.3 I OR: 0 I DR: 2 I REB: 2 I AST: 9 I TO: 3 I STL: 3 I BLK: 0 I PF: 2 I +/-: 8 I EFF: 33
• Game 4: JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks 1-3)
  MIN: 22:05 I PTS: 13 I FGM: 5 I FGA: 7 I FG%: 71.4 I 3PM: 0 I 3PA: 0 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 3 I FTA: 8 I FT%: 37.5 I OR: 3 I DR: 9 I REB: 12 I AST: 3 I TO: 3 I STL: 1 I BLK: 2 I PF: 3 I +/-: 6 I EFF: 21
  Game 4: Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 3-1)
  MIN: 36:33 I PTS: 7 I FGM: 3 I FGA: 10 I FG%: 30.0 I 3PM: 0 I 3PA: 4 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 1 I FTA: 3 I FT%: 33.3 I OR: 1 I DR: 3 I REB: 4 I AST: 3 I TO: 2 I STL: 1 I BLK: 0 I PF: 1 I +/-: -23 I EFF: 4
• Game 5: Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 4-1)
  MIN: 30:56 I PTS: 28 I FGM: 10 I FGA: 23 I FG%: 43.5 I 3PM: 4 I 3PA: 10 I 3P%: 40.0 I FTM: 4 I FTA: 4 I FT%: 100 I OR: 2 I DR: 2 I REB: 4 I AST: 6 I TO: 4 I STL: 3 I BLK: 0 I PF: 2 I +/-: 4 I EFF: 24
• Game 6: Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 5-1)
  MIN: 38:23 I PTS: 53 I FGM: 16 I FGA: 29 I FG%: 55.2 I 3PM: 5 I 3PA: 13 I 3P%: 38.5 I FTM: 16 I FTA: 16 I FT%: 100 I OR: 1 I DR: 1 I REB: 2 I AST: 5 I TO: 1 I STL: 1 I BLK: 0 I PF: 1 I +/-: 10 I EFF: 47
• Game 5: JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks 1-4)
  MIN: 23:24 I PTS: 22 I FGM: 8 I FGA: 18 I FG%: 44.4 I 3PM: 0 I 3PA: 1 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 6 I FTA: 10 I FT%: 60.0 I OR: 4 I DR: 7 I REB: 11 I AST: 1 I TO: 2 I STL: 0 I BLK: 5 I PF: 5 I +/-: -6 I EFF: 23

The Story So Far

Bryce Cotton has been the most dominant scorer in the league, averaging 30.7 PPG on absurd shooting splits while also facilitating (6.0 assists) and taking care of the ball. He’s the engine of Adelaide’s offense and sets the pace for guards across the competition.

JaVale McGee has been a force of nature inside, producing 22.4 PPG, 10.6 RPG and 3.2 BPG with elite efficiency and rim protection. However, his free-throw struggles and high foul count slightly reduce his overall impact.