Perth's NBA star out to dominate, not replace Cotton

It may not have been officially announced yet, but all signs point to 451-game NBA talent Brandon Knight making his NBL debut on Saturday.

The Perth Wildcats recruit, who landed in Australia last week, has been acclimatising to his new environment and getting to know teammates.

But before he even pulls on the red jersey for the first time, Knight has made one thing clear: he’s not Bryce Cotton, nor is he trying to be.

“For me to put the weight of a Bryce Cotton and what he’s done over the course of his career [on myself], that would be insane,” Knight said in a sit-down interview with NBL Media’s Mark Worthington.

“Respectfully, I’m not here to do the impossible.

“I could come in and win a championship this year, and even then, I wouldn’t have filled his shoes.

“It [playing without Bryce] is going to take some healing and I’m here to help with that.

“I’m healing from it too, because I’m going to have to hear it as well, so we’re in it together.”

Sitting at 3-1, thanks in part to Elijah Pepper’s hot start to NBL27, the Wildcats are ticking along well and Knight hopes only to add to that.

“The team doesn’t need a saviour,” he said.

“They were winning before I got here, and my goal is just to amplify that.

“I want to compete too, and I want to dominate. That [mentality] never leaves.”

This is a debut that might have come a season earlier had Knight joined the 10-time champions in NBL26, when dialogue first opened about a potential deal.

“With a newborn at that time, I knew my wife was going to have to travel, and I didn’t want to go without my family,” he added.

“I just said, maybe next year will be a better time.”

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Saturday’s potential debut will be against the New Zealand Breakers, headlined by MVP contender Parker Jackson-Cartwright, at RAC Arena.

Although he’s yet to play an NBL game himself, Knight believes the League has plenty of similarities to the NBA.

“The level of detail is very high here, very similar to, if not more than, the NBA,” he said.

“To see all five [pick up] the floor is something that’s a little bit new.”

Saturday’s Round 4 game between Perth and New Zealand tips off at 9.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN, 9 and 9Now.