The case for Kristian Doolittle: NBL27's overlooked MVP threat

It's early days yet, but look closely at the NBL27 landscape and the MVP conversation is already shaping up as one of the deepest in years, with more than a few genuine contenders.

Bryce Cotton has won the last three trophies, with Kendric Davis not far behind over the past two, but this year the conversation might need to widen. The Adelaide and Sydney stars remain the headline acts, the likes of Cole Anthony, Arnas Velička, Skylar Mays and a resurgent Milton Doyle have all been thrown into the mix, while Nathan Sobey's brilliant NBL26 season has him firmly back in the frame.

Then there's Perth's Kristian Doolittle, who tied with Sobey for third last season and continues to build a case few outside the west seem to be paying attention to.

Since Cotton's departure at the end of NBL25, Doolittle has become the main man in Perth, and some NBL experts believe he might be flying under the radar as an MVP hope.

"I think he's being overlooked in terms of the MVP race," former NBL MVP Derek Rucker said on The Roundtable.

"He's been right there in the hunt the past couple of seasons and he's still a young professional. He hasn't even entered his prime, I don't believe. I think we've got to watch out for him.

"He should get a lot of usage. If they get just a serviceable point guard who doesn't take too much away from him, realises the value and utilising Doolittle to his strengths, he's going to be right there in the hunt."

Of course, the Wildcats are still to solve that point guard issue just days out from Round 1, but Kelsey Browne says Doolittle is only going to get better in NBL27.

"I think he put the league on notice when he talks about MVP as well," Browne said.

"And he says, you know, 'I'm not going to get 40 points a game. It's not going to be the numbers that I put up', but we seem to be enamoured with these 40-point games and these point guards. He's like, 'I'm a two-way player'.

"The way that he views himself in the MVP category, he's like, 'maybe it's not about the numbers. Maybe it's about the function that you play in the team'."

Rucker admitted it would be difficult for Doolittle to catch the same level of attention of the likes of Cotton, Davis and incoming NBA star Cole Anthony.

"When Bryce and Kendric go off, it's noisy, it's loud and it resonates and cuts through all the sports media," he said.

"Those guys are just very dynamic, engaging, you can't take your eyes off them when they're playing, so he's kind of working against that."

Doolittle took his game to a new level in NBL26, averaging 17.3 points, 7.3 rebounds, 3.6 assists and close to a steal a game.

But former champion Damon Lowery says there's one key factor in him being in the mix for the league's top honour.

"Now we saw Xavier Cooks win MVP … with averaging maybe 14 points, eight, nine rebounds a game, and a handful of assists, but his team was unbelievable. Was up the top," Lowery said.

"So, all you got to do for my opinion, be top two team, be the best player on your team, and I don't care how you get how you get your numbers. So, just get your numbers. But the MVP voting is something separate."