The Perth Wildcats have turned the tides in a significant fashion this NBL season, shaking off a slow start to rise into the top four, in large part thanks to Bryce Cotton.
Cotton, the former league MVP and Wildcats franchise player, is averaging 20.1 points, 4.0 assists, and 3.9 rebounds this season, and could be eyeing yet another MVP award with his play spearheading a five-game win streak.
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But for possibly the first time in his NBL career, Cotton isn't the player bringing the most eyeballs to the Wildcats; rather it's Next Star Alex Sarr, who many believe could be the first name read out at the 2024 NBA Draft.
Talking on Sporting News Australia's new basketball podcast 'Just Bricks', Cotton said that he admired the 18-year-old's humbleness and willingness to learn, while also possessing a wicked competitive streak.
Bryce Cotton praises Alex Sarr's competitive nature
Sarr has already impressed in the NBL - he is currently averaging 9.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, and 1.2 blocks per game, but his superstar teammate has been most impressed by the youngster's willingness to learn.
"I think he's done a tremendous job. He's learned pretty well on the fly, and I think the biggest thing with him is he has no ego," Cotton told Just Bricks.
"For a guy that's arguably going to be the top one or top two pick, you would think he'd have the ego the size of this room, but he doesn't.
"It doesn't matter whether it's me giving him a suggestion, Jesse [Wagstaff], he's all ears and he's just ready to learn, and I think that's going to be the testament to how good he can really be as a player down the line.
"But as far as this season goes, I want him to do as well as he can do, and I never want to see him again because that means he's in the NBA doing his thing, so hopefully we all can get something out of this."
But despite his humbleness off the court, Cotton has also said that his rookie is not afraid of the big moments, and that his competitiveness rivals anyone he has played against.
"He's not afraid of the moment, Alex, he has a pretty reserved personality as well, but I spotted early on, he's not afraid of confrontation during games and he's got a little bit of spunk about him, which I didn't really expect when first meeting him," Cotton said.
"But like I said, being on the floor with him, he's got that white line fever, as they call it, I love that about him, so that stands out."
Can Sarr be the next Victor Wembanyama?
Only 12 games into his NBL career, Sarr has already been garnering some significant praise - Sporting News' Kyle Irving ranked him third in his latest mock draft, while the Athletic's Sam Veccenie had him going first overall.
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As a top French defensively-minded big man, Sarr has inevitably drawn comparisons to 2023's No. 1 pick Victor Wembanyama, but Cotton says he doesn't think the noise has bothered him.
"I don't know if anybody asks him that, but who knows? Who knows? I don't know if he does."
Bryce Cotton on NBA return
While Sarr may be the one bringing NBA scout's eyes to Perth games, Cotton has made sure to impress, currently third in the league in scoring.
With a near-unrivaled ability to score the ball, could Cotton make a return to the NBA?
"[Scouts] never come up to me personally or anything, but I think I'm at the stage in my career where it doesn't... I don't even need them to tell me that," he said.
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"I know what I can do, and I just focus on playing around that. But it is cool to know that I'm still able to do this and being in front of the NBA ccouts and all that.
"It's just who wouldn't want to play in environments like that. So it's still fun, but I'm not really looking for the validation if that makes sense."
WATCH BRYCE COTTON ON JUST BRICKS:
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