'Turn on the TV and enjoy': MVP hails stars' greatness

For all the noise and debate surrounding the NBL’s award voting system, former MVP Chris Anstey believes the bigger picture is how privileged we are to be witnessing greatness before our eyes.

On Monday night, Bryce Cotton secured his sixth MVP award, moving to within one of Andrew Gaze’s benchmark and further cementing his place alongside the very best the League has ever seen.

The tightly fought MVP race between Cotton and Davis could yet pave the way for one of the most anticipated Championship Series matchups in NBL history, should Adelaide and Sydney both advance.

“First and foremost it shows what players think and how highly they regard winning the awards on the night,” Anstey said of the debate around voting.

“I had Kendric Davis winning, just, but I thought whoever lost was going to be desperately unlucky.

“The biggest story has to be having Bryce Cotton winning Most Valuable Player Award, one closer to catching Andrew Gaze, who I don’t think anybody thought was catchable.

“His season’s been incredible. He’s an incredible basketball player and one of the best we’ve seen in this country and all credit to him.

“Whether he came second by two votes … we’re really fortunate to be able to turn on the television and watch Bryce Cotton play basketball every week. It’s a real privilege.

“And we get to do the same with Kendric Davis.”

Cotton won the count by just two votes over Davis – 96 to 94 – with the pair boasting incredibly similar statistics and accolades across the season.

“I really, really hope they play each other. There was a little bit of trash talk on awards night around ‘I respect the hell out of you, but I’m going to bust your arse’,” Anstey continued.

“I want to see them try to do that to each other in a Finals series.”

Anstey called out the selection for the All-NBL First Team, where Davis and South East Melbourne star Nathan Sobey were both overlooked by multiple voters.

“Anybody who did not vote for Kendric Davis or Nathan Sobey to make the All-NBL First Team should never get the right to vote again,” he said.

The All-NBL First Team and All-NBL Second Team are voted on by coaches, assistant coaches  and captains across the League.

Only in the event of two players tying on votes and a further countback will a panel of experts step in to determine which player receives the position.