Wildcats' marquee man set to shake up MVP race

Perth Wildcats’ John Rillie knows a thing or two about coaching MVPs in the Hungry Jack’s NBL, after coaching Bryce Cotton the past three seasons.

And despite the five-time MVP shifting to Adelaide in the off-season, he feels he might have another contender for the league’s top award in NBL26, in the shape of recruit Jo Lual-Acuil Jr.

“[Jo] for sure [can win MVP],” Rillie told The West Sport Show.

“I think for him to be a dominant MVP candidate in this league, he needs to be very active at both ends of the floor, because he’s a menace when he has that mentality.

“The more of those players with that mindset that we can bring to the franchise, the greater chance there is of a championship.”

Rillie, a 1998 NBL champion and 2004 Olympian, isn’t alone with that sentiment on South Sudanese international Lual-Acuil, with NBL expert Derek Rucker also signing his praises during his recent announcement of his pre-season Top 15.

“This [Lual-Acuil] is a championship-level big man,” Rucker said.

“‘A guy who is probably a second-tier MVP candidate, by default, but if his play improves he can be in the All-NBL First Team.

““He can put it on the floor. He can shoot the three. He is super-aggressive on the offensive end and a very underrated defender as well.

“There’s a reason why his services were requested all over the world. This is why the Perth Wildcats fought so hard to get him back.”

>> Rucker warns: “This guy is dangerous”

Lual-Acuil, who won the NBL21 championship with Melbourne, will make his Wildcats debut on Saturday, when Perth hosts Tasmania at RAC Arena from 8pm AEST - broadcast live on ESPN.

Read the full story here >> JLA for MVP! Rillie’s extreme faith in menacing recruit