5
Jan
The MVP Race
McGee vs Cotton: NBL26 Performances Tracker
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Illawarra Hawks import JaVale McGee and Adelaide 36ers star Bryce Cotton. Photos: Getty Images
Highlights
Bryce Cotton and JaVale McGee headline NBL26 MVP race after explosive and dominant performances.
- Case Closed: McGee already the best player in the league
- Bryce Cotton's drive for five makes history
- 'Let's get ready to rumble!': The Return of the King to Perth
Two elite players. Two very different roles. One clear answer.
Bryce Cotton and JaVale McGee are both are delivering at a high level — but stripping the season back to pure on-court impact, responsibility, and influence on winning, the numbers draw a clear line.
- Cotton has played 23 games at 36.7 minutes per night, while McGee has logged 20 games at 26.0 minutes.
- McGee owns the efficiency battle inside. His 59.6% average field-goal percentage reflects elite finishing and rim dominance, while his rebounding and put-back presence constantly pressures defences.
- Cotton, however, controls the Adelaide offense. He’s averaging 25.7 points per game, knocking down 3.6 threes a night at 38.3%, and shooting 87.9% from the free-throw line. Cotton scores at all three levels.
- Cotton is averaging 7.7 assists, McGee averages 1.9 assists.
- Cotton’s turnover rate (2.9) is reasonable given his usage. McGee’s slightly lower number (2.7) reflects lower handling responsibility.
- Cotton is averaging 2.3 steals, while McGee anchors the paint, averaging 2.1 blocks
- Cotton carries a +7.4 average plus-minus and his 28.8 efficiency rating reinforces his all-around contribution.
- McGee sits at –2.2 plus-minus, with a 27.3 efficiency.
The Verdict
Bryce Cotton is having the better NBL26 season.
Not because McGee hasn’t been effective — he has. But Cotton’s combination of offensive responsibility, playmaking, perimeter scoring, and direct correlation to winning separates him.
McGee is an elite interior presence and one of the league’s most physically dominant bigs.
Cotton remains the standard and is on course to win his sixth NBL MVP.
basketball.com.au is in it for the long haul. We’ll track both players By The Numbers throughout the rest of NBL26.
Cotton vs McGee: NBL26 Season Averages
Bryce Cotton (23 games)
- MIN: 36.7 │ PTS: 25.7 │ FGM: 8.4 │ FGA: 18.3 │ FG%: 42.7 │ 3PM: 3.6 │ 3PA: 8.7 │ 3P%: 38.3 │ FTM: 6.1 │ FTA: 7.0 │ FT%: 87.9 │ OR: 0.7 │ DR: 3.2 │ REB: 3.8 │ AST: 7.7 │ TO: 2.9 │ STL: 2.3 │ BLK: 0.1 │ PF: 2.0 │ +/-: 7.4 │ EFF: 28.8
JaVale McGee (20 games)
- MIN: 26.0 │ PTS: 21.1 │ FGM: 8.8 │ FGA: 15.2 │ FG%: 59.6 │ 3PM: 0.2 │ 3PA: 0.6 │ 3P%: 32.5 │ FTM: 3.7 │ FTA: 5.2 │ FT%: 70.8 │ OR: 3.4 │ DR: 6.7 │ REB: 10.6 │ AST: 1.9 │ TO: 2.7 │ STL: 1.2 │ BLK: 2.1 │ PF: 2.7 │ +/-: -2.2 │ EFF: 27.3
Bryce Cotton Individual Box Scores
JaVale McGee Individual Box Scores
