How the 36ers plan on turning star power into silverware

Bryce Cotton says the growing influx of elite talent into the Hungry Jack’s NBL keeps him hungry and driven to perform at his best every night.

Now stepping into a fresh challenge as the Adelaide 36ers’ marquee man, the five-time MVP is embracing the responsibility and opportunity ahead.

This off-season has been defined by major signings, headlined by three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee and big-money stars Jack McVeigh and Jo Lual-Acuil Jr., adding even more star power to the league.

“It's been happening for as long as I can remember. It’s great for the league, great for the fans, and as a player, it’s exciting too,” Cotton told SEN SA.

“Knowing you get to play against elite talent is always a measuring tool to see where you stack up. Whenever you achieve success at this level, you wear it as a badge of honour because you know you're not doing it against scrubs.”

Cotton will sit out the opening game of the CODE Sports NBL Blitz with minor knee soreness but believes the 36ers are poised for a strong season if they can quickly build cohesion.

He highlighted the Illawarra Hawks and Tasmania JackJumpers’ recent runs as the model for sustained success.

“Illawarra … but even going back to the season before, Tassie winning it all, they didn’t have the most talent, but they were together on both ends of the floor, so they made up for what they lacked in talent,” Cotton said.

“With us, we have a lot of talented pieces, so talent isn’t the issue. But if we can combine that with being together consistently throughout the season, that gives us a good chance to compete and put ourselves in the running.”

The 36ers’ talent pool runs deep, with Cotton set to line up alongside Montrezl Harrell, Zylan Cheatham, Isaac Humphries and Dejan Vasiljevic in an imposing starting five.

“I think we definitely have the depth,” Cotton said.

“We have a lot of good pieces and diverse pieces too, players who bring different things to the table, which is huge, especially later in the season.

“Personally, I’m really excited to play alongside DJ. I know how well he shoots the ball, he’s had quite a few big games against us, so it’s bittersweet talking about that. But now he’s on my side, I’m looking forward to seeing him light it up. I think with my willingness to pass, I can create some gravity for him to get open looks, and he can do the same for me because of how well he shoots. I’m interested to see how we feed off each other.”

Determined to instil a winning culture in Adelaide, Cotton’s remarkable NBL journey is built on consistency and endurance, coming off what may have been the finest season of his career last year.

“I think it's because I don’t take it for granted. I really enjoy playing the game and competing against elite players and teams,” he added.

“It’s a challenge to answer the bell every year. I make sure I never get complacent because eventually the ball runs out of air for everybody. Until then, I want to look in the mirror and know I gave it everything I had.”

Adelaide opens its CODE Sports NBL Blitz campaign against Illawarra on Wednesday night, with live coverage on Disney+ and Kayo from 8pm AEST.