Cotton wins record-breaking seventh Gordon Ellis Medal

The superstar guard was a runaway victor of the Wildcats’ most prestigious individual honour with 289 votes in front of nearly 1000 attendees at Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre on Saturday night.

Cotton received the maximum 18 votes in 11 of his 24 regular-season appearances in NBL25 to finish with 75 clear of fellow import Kristian Doolittle on 224.

It puts him one ahead of club legends Ricky Grace and Shawn Redhage, who both won six during their decorated careers.

Cotton entered the count as the clear favourite after averaging a career-high 28.6 points per game and producing six 40-point games including a club-record 59 against New Zealand at RAC Arena on December 1.

MVP runner-up Doolittle didn’t go home empty-handed, winning the Andrew Vlahov Medal for Defensive Player of the Year for a second straight season to go with his first Eric Watterson Medal as voted on by the players.

Former first-round NBA draft pick Dylan Windler, in his first season at the club, rounded out the top-three of MVP voting with 162, with big man Keanu Pinder (143) in fourth.

Young gun Ben Henshall won the Wildcats’ Most Improved Player award after a brilliant second season in the NBL.

Henshall was last week recognised by the NBL for his much-improved campaign, finishing runner up in the Next Generation Award on 40 votes, just six behind Sydney King Alex Toohey.

The 20-year-old was also a finalist in NBL’s Most Improved Player award, won by Brisbane’s Tyrell Harrison, and finished fifth in the Wildcats' MVP Award with 70 votes.

Popular New Zealander Hyrum Harris won the Coaches’ Award.

The late Jack Bendat, who led the Wildcats to six championships during his 15 years as own, was inducted into the club’s Hall of Fame alongside four-time NBL champion and former vice-captain Greg Hire.

Wildcats MVP Ball – award winners

Gordon Ellis Medal MVP: Bryce Cotton

Eric Watterson Medal for Players’ Player: Kristian Doolittle

Andrew Vlahov Medal for Best Defensive Player: Kristian Doolittle

Most Improved Player: Ben Henshall

Coaches’ Award: Hyrum Harris

Hall of Fame inductees: Dr Jack Bendat AM, Greg Hire

Gordon Ellis Medal top-five vote-getters

Bryce Cotton (289 votes)

Kristian Doolittle (224)

Dylan Windler (162)

Keanu Pinder (143)

Ben Henshall (70)