How Bryce Cotton won his sixth MVP award

• ‍Bryce Cotton and Kendric Davis headline the 2026 Andrew Gaze MVP Awards‍
• Who's the real MVP: Bryce Cotton vs Kendric Davis‍
• Box Scores: All 165 games of the 2025-26 NBL season

Bryce Cotton has claimed his sixth NBL Most Valuable Player award after leading the league in scoring and delivering one of the most explosive individual seasons in NBL history.

Cotton now has six MVPs, just one behind the award’s namesake, Andrew Gaze.

The 33-year-old guard averaged 25.6 points and 8.1 assists for the Adelaide 36ers (23–10), had three 40-point games and one game above 50 points, and finished with the league’s highest SuperCoach average (48.6).

He edged Sydney Kings point guard Kendric Davis by just TWO VOTES - 96 to 94.

Cotton won MVPs in 2018, 2020, 2021, 2024, 2025, and now, 2026.

The Case for Cotton

Cotton’s offensive ceiling proved decisive.

He averaged 28.6 points against the Bottom Four, compared to 22.6 from Davis, and his weighted Defensive Difficulty Index (25.0) narrowly edged Davis (24.6), underlining that his scoring load remained heavy regardless of opponent strength.

Against the Top Five defences, Cotton still scored 20.5 points per game while being the main focus and carrying Adelaide’s offence.

His 25.7 points per game made it the ninth time he has led the league in scoring – eighth straight – second only to Andrew Gaze’s 14 scoring titles.

Where Davis’ efficiency profile was stable, Cotton’s ceiling games shifted outcomes. His shot-making dictated coverage and forced defensive adjustments every night.

That volume and volatility ultimately resonated with voters.

The Kendric Davis Factor

Kendric Davis was exceptional.

The best player on the best team – Sydney finished 24–9 and went 3–1 head-to-head against Adelaide.

Davis averaged 26.2 points against Top Six teams compared to Cotton’s 22.2. In the four direct meetings, Davis outscored Cotton 23.8 to 16.3 points per game and posted a 5.0 assist-to-turnover ratio against Adelaide, more than double Cotton’s 2.2.

Sydney won three of those four games.

His scoring increased against elite competition. His field goal percentage held at 47.3% against Top Five defences. His turnover rate remained controlled.

There is a clear argument that if voters prioritised performance against top-tier opponents and head-to-head results, Davis had the advantage.

Why Cotton Wins

MVP is almost never decided by just one stat.

Cotton led the league in scoring. He averaged 8.1 assists. He delivered three 40-plus games and one 50-plus outing. He finished with a higher SuperCoach average and remained the league’s most explosive offensive player.

While Davis outperformed him head-to-head and scaled upward against elite defences, Cotton’s overall scoring dominance and match-winning ceiling separated him.

Davis was elite.

Cotton was overwhelming.

For the sixth time, Bryce Cotton is the NBL’s Most Valuable Player.