Bryce Cotton will once again grace RAC Arena as part of the home side, with the NBL superstar set to make his Australian Boomers debut in Perth. Cotton will make his highly anticipated green and gold debut in the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers against Guam on July 3 and the Philippines on July 6.
The six-time NBL MVP has long harboured ambitions of representing his adoptive home, but a long-running citizenship saga, including a four-year ban for spending 20 minutes without a visa due to a paperwork error, saw Cotton only become naturalised in September last year. However, another storming NBL season where he averaged a league-high 25.7 points for Adelaide to claim another MVP was more than enough to earn the call-up.
“Representing the Australian men’s national basketball team for the first time is something I don’t take lightly. Coming from where I come from, this opportunity means a lot to my family and me,” Cotton said. “Australia has embraced me from day one, and I’m grateful for the chance to wear the green and gold alongside a great group of guys. I’m excited, motivated, and ready to give everything I have for the country.”
Boomers high performance manager Jason Smith said he was excited to see what Bryce can do in the green and gold. “We feel like he’s a great cultural fit and obviously he has a dynamic playmaking ability which has been on display with his performances at the elite level over the last decade,” he said. “We think he’ll suit the physicality of the international format, and the July window in Perth will give us a solid look at how he integrates into the FIBA game,” added Smith.
It’s also a massive boon for Perth, who will once again get to embrace the former Perth Wildcat with RAC Arena hosting both fixtures. “Bryce Cotton has become a sporting icon in Western Australia, so it’s incredibly exciting to see him return to Perth to make his Australian Boomers debut here at RAC Arena,” WA Tourism Minister Reece Whitby said. “These FIBA World Cup qualifiers are another fantastic addition to Western Australia’s major events calendar, attracting visitors and showcasing Perth as a world-class destination for international sport – all contributing to the WA Government’s economic diversification strategy to support local jobs and businesses.”
