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

JaVale McGee proved his NBA pedigree as he willed the on-the-ropes Illawarra Hawks to a gutsy road win against the Perth Wildcats 85-84 in Round 6 of NBL26. He scored seven of the Hawks last 10 points but is it enough to out-duel five-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton after six games each this season.

Bryce Cotton – clear edge after six rounds. He’s not just scoring at an MVP level — he’s doing it efficiently, consistently, and carrying Adelaide’s offense while still creating for others.

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

NBL26 Performance Tracker – Bryce Cotton vs JaVale McGee

• ‍Bryce Cotton (Adelaide 36ers 5-1)
  GP: 7 I MIN: 36.1 I PPG: 29.4 I FGM: 9.6 I FGA: 18.9 I FG%: 50.8 I 3PM: 3.6 I 3PA: 7.9 I 3P%: 45.6 I FTM: 6.7 I FTA: 7.1 I FT%: 94.4 I OR: 1.0 I DR: 1.9 I REB: 2.9 I AST: 6.0 I TO: 3.0 I STL: 2.4 I BLK: 0.0 I PF: 0.9 I EFF: 25.1
• JaVale McGee (Illawarra Hawks 1-4)
  GP: 6 I MIN: 25.9 I PPG: 22.7 I FGM: 9.5 I FGA: 15.3 I FG%: 62.1 I 3PM: 0.0 I 3PA: 0.5 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 3.7 I FTA: 6.8 I FT%: 54.4 I OR: 3.9 I DR: 6.8 I REB: 10.7 I AST: 2.3 I TO: 3.3 I STL: 2.0 I BLK: 2.5 I PF: 3.7 I EFF: 27.2
  

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
• Game 6: JaVale McGee (Illawarra 2-4)
  MIN: 27:47 I PTS: 24 I FGM: 11 I FGA: 18 I FG%: 61.1 I 3PM: 0 I 3PA: 1 I 3P%: 0.0 I FTM: 2 I FTA: 4 I FT%: 50.0 I OR: 5 I DR: 6 I REB: 11 I AST: 1 I TO: 4 I STL: 3 I BLK: 1 I PF: 4 I +/-: 8 I EFF: 27
• Game 7: Bryce Cotton (5-2)
  MIN: 38:35 I PTS: 22 I FGM: 7 I FGA: 17 I FG%: 41.2 I 3PM: 3 I 3PA: 6 I 3P%: 50.0 I FTM: 5 I FTA: 5 I FT%: 100 I OR: 0 I DR: 2 I REB: 2 I AST: 6 I TO: 6 I STL: 3 I BLK: 0 I PF: 0 I +/-: 4 I EFF: 17

The Story So Far

Bryce Cotton has reaffirmed his status as the NBL’s most complete scorer, averaging 29.4 points, 6.0 assists, and 2.4 steals on 50/45/94 shooting while maintaining control of Adelaide’s offense night after night. His combination of shot-making, poise, and efficiency continues to separate him from the field.

JaVale McGee has been a game-changing interior anchor for Illawarra, averaging 22.7 points, 10.7 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks on 62% shooting. His paint dominance and defensive versatility have been crucial to the Hawks’ competitiveness, though foul trouble and free-throw struggles remain his only hurdles.

Cotton stays ahead in the MVP conversation, but McGee’s efficiency and interior dominance keep the race compelling as both superstars set the early-season tone for NBL26.