Spalding Iconic Imports - Perth Wildcats

Focusing on one Club at a time over the course of NBL22 - the NBL will shortlist a group of players to be voted for as the Most Iconic Import in their history thanks to Spalding.

The criteria for selection goes beyond stats, including which import had the biggest impact on the Club's future and who created the greatest legacy for the future.

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Jermaine Beal:

Three seasons with the Wildcats (2014-2016) including Grand Final MVP in his first season and another championship in his last. Was the first Perth player ever to drop ten three-pointers in a game when he exploded for 42-points against United in December 2015 after not scoring at all in the first quarter. A total of 96 games for the Wildcats at 15.9ppg. Amazingly, Perth won 41 of the 50 games with Beal on court at RAC Arena.

Bryce Cotton:
The list of accolades is remarkable – but perhaps not yet completed - with three NBL MVP’s, twice named Grand Final MVP – including the all-time highest score in a Championship match – and the first import in NBL history to lead the League in scoring three seasons in a row. Has played ten Grand Final games for the Wildcats for eight wins.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">M?V?P<br>M?V?P<br>M?V?P<br><br>Hit play on the Bryce Cotton MV-THREE mixtape ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheGazeys?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheGazeys</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> <a href="https://t.co/EqI6BReAMr">pic.twitter.com/EqI6BReAMr</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1405119972733382662?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 16, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

James Crawford:
The ‘Alabama Slamma’ played 371 games over 13 seasons and drove the Wildcats to their first finals appearance in his first season with the club in 1987 by averaging a franchise record 33.4ppg including a Wildcats record 57-points against the Tigers. Crawford was a four time winner of Perth’s MVP award including their first Championship season in 1990 and was the only Perth player to feature in the Wildcats first 12 trips to the post season that has continued to this day.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Few things are more synonymous with 80s + 90s NBL than James Crawford throwing down a two-hand jam ?<br><br>JC is our <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/FlashBack?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#FlashBack</a> Friday mixtape this week ? <a href="https://t.co/uTm9aZgOpQ">pic.twitter.com/uTm9aZgOpQ</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1311861312343793664?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 2, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

James Ennis:
The only one and done Wildcats player to leave with a NBL Championship and Gordon Ellis Trophy as club MVP. He was named NBL player for the first month of the season as the Wildcats created a new dynasty with a 8-0 start with Ennis scoring back-to-back 30-pt games as Perth continued to a 12-1 ladder lead they never would give up. Ennis was Perth’s leading scorer at 21.2ppg including a 30-point explosion in game one of the Grand Final series that was the historic first Championship win for the Wildcats at RAC Arena.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Shoutout to former <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> import and 2014 NBL champ, James Ennis (<a href="https://twitter.com/JamesDa_Truth?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@JamesDa_Truth</a>), on signing a 2-year deal with the <a href="https://twitter.com/sixers?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@sixers</a> ?<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLxNBA?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLxNBA</a> <a href="https://t.co/qaa5gZQxSr">pic.twitter.com/qaa5gZQxSr</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1146245216837353472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 3, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Scott Fisher:
Fisher joined the Wildcats in 1993 fresh from being named NBL MVP with the Giants in 1992. The Fish is the only NBL player to be named in an All-NBL team for the first eight seasons of his career including 247 games for the Wildcats including club MVP’s in his first two seasons. Fisher also led the Wildcats scoring with 18-points in the first ever NBL game vs NBA against Houston Rockets in London 1995. In 2005 Fisher took the head coaching role at the Wildcats for four seasons.

Ricky Grace:
For the first eight seasons since 1982, Perth had been building what was their foundation, but all the pieces came together in 1990 with the arrival of Ricky Grace. Named Grand Final MVP in the Wildcats first ever Championship and then another title in 1991 created history but it was a club record 482 games over 16 seasons that created a legend. ‘Amazing’ Grace would retire in 2005 as a six-time Wildcats MVP.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Happy Birthday to <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> legend, 4?? x ? winner and NBL 40th Anniversary team member, Ricky Grace ? ? <br><br>His NBL career in one word: Amazing. <a href="https://t.co/pl2ljWJCfW">pic.twitter.com/pl2ljWJCfW</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1031383981990670336?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 20, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Kevin Lisch:
Lisch was a slow starter in September 2009 in his first pro season out of St Louis University but he heated up as his debut season progressed and created history in the deciding game three of the Grand Final when he posted a season high 29-points to earn Grand Final MVP as Perth won their first Championship under Rob Beveridge. In 2012, Lisch was the first Wildcats to lead the NBL in scoring and the first Wildcats import to be NBL MVP. In February 2013, the Wildcats named Lisch as their all-First team Shooting guard for their first three decades in the NBL – an incredible honour considering he was still competing in his fourth NBL season.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It was the shot that saved Kevin Lisch&#39;s NBL career, and the first in a series of clutch moments for the retiring <a href="https://twitter.com/SydneyKings?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SydneyKings</a> star.<br><br>He detailed the start of his time with the <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> on <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/NBLOvertime?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#NBLOvertime</a> last night: <a href="https://t.co/v7wEZJmnsB">https://t.co/v7wEZJmnsB</a> <a href="https://t.co/LG2um1jn74">pic.twitter.com/LG2um1jn74</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1270510852244832256?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Casey Prather:
Only one player in Wildcats history has won two championships in his first two seasons and been named club MVP both time and that was Casey Prather. Over his two seasons at RAC Arena he put together an incredible home record of 27 wins and five losses including 18 wins in his first 19 games played at that home venue. Prather averaged 18ppg over his 59 games with the Wildcats.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">3 NBL Seasons. 3 NBL Championships. <br><br>If you ever want to go for 4, Casey Prather, you know where to find us. <br><br>Thanks for the memories/highlights and best of luck in ?? <a href="https://twitter.com/cprather24?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cprather24</a> ? <a href="https://t.co/mmhGz2OnYi">pic.twitter.com/mmhGz2OnYi</a></p>&mdash; The NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1023364367440535552?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 29, 2018</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>


Shawn Redhage:
After a short unsuccessful stint at the Breakers, Redhage received a second chance at the Wildcats via the Bendigo Braves in the SEABL and it proved to be a significant signing. Redhage was a ball magnet and became the first – and only - player in NBL history to record 30 points and 15 assists in a triple double and was given the nickname ‘The Scoring Machine’ after becoming the fastest Wildcats player ever to score 2000 points. Incredibly being named as Wildcats MVP an unprecedented six consecutive seasons (2006-2011), Redhage became the first US born player to captain the Wildcats to a championship in 2010 and went on to play 380 games over 12 seasons.