Stat Chat: Season Leaders

The NBL regular season is over, the Gazeys have been awarded, and the stats leaders through the home and away campaign are locked in.

There’s a direct correlation between those who excelled at the top end of the individual metrics in the league, and the teams that managed to keep their NBL23 thriving approaching the post-season.

NBL Media looks at the players who have led the way during the NBL season so far – and who could lead their sides to post-season success.

*must have played five games to qualify.

Points per game - the top five:
Bryce Cotton – 23.5 (28 games)
Mitch Creek – 23.4 (28 games)
Craig Randall – 20.3 (6 games)
Barry Brown Jr – 19.5 (20 games)
Tyler Harvey – 18.9 (27 games)

While he fell admirably short in his quest for a fourth Andrew Gaze MVP award, Bryce Cotton can comfort himself with the fact he’s taken home his sixth scoring title in seven seasons in the NBL.

Much like Perth’s tight finish to the regular season over Melbourne, Cotton endured a late run from South East Melbourne forward Mitch Creek to take home the title. He scored just a solitary point more than his fellow MVP nominee across the entire season.

The scoring prowess of former Adelaide 36er Craig Randall was never in doubt during his short but eventful stint in the NBL. After averaging over 20 points per game across his six appearances he has since dropped 34 on his Iowa Wolves debut in the NBA G-League – it’s unfortunate things didn’t work out for the talented guard in the City of Churches.

Barry Brown was the definition of offensive spark off the bench for the Breakers. The Sixth Man of the Year slotted seamlessly into the Breakers’ heavy back-court rotation to fall just shy of the 20 points per game marker.

Tyler Harvey represented something of a lone hand on offence at times for Illawarra, and despite the team’s struggles to build offence around him he single-handedly kept the Hawks competitive in a number of tight contests across the campaign.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">? ??-????? ???? ?<br><br>Bryce Cotton hits 3/3 free throws to secure the 40-piece on the night. Can he top his career high of 45 in the last few minutes? <br><br>Catch the final moments live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel. <a href="https://t.co/MSIXqvPein">pic.twitter.com/MSIXqvPein</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1618942839521705984?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 27, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Assists per game - the top five:
Gary Browne – 6.5 (19 games)
Derrick Walton Jr – 6.3 (26 games)
Peyton Siva – 6.3 (11 games)
Will McDowell-White – 6.2 (26 games)
Shannon Scott – 5.4 (28 games)

Had Gary Browne not missed nine games across the regular season, could Mitch Creek have pipped Bryce Cotton to the competition’s scoring title? Or maybe the Phoenix could have cemented their position on the ladder heading into the final day?

Regardless, Browne has been a revelation in the backcourt for South East Melbourne this season, and their most effective offence undoubtedly comes when he’s running the show.

Derrick Walton Jr slotted into the void left by Ian Clark and Jaylen Adams at the Kings perfectly, and his all-action offensive style not only helped earn him All-NBL First Team honours, but it helped keep Sydney at the top of the pack in their quest for a second straight NBL title.

Peyton Siva could well be the biggest ‘what if’ in a season full of them for the Hawks. Once he found his feet as an injury replacement for Justin Robinson – who finished with eight assists in his only game of the season – the Hawks looked a far smoother outfit. It was oh so unfortunate that his own season was ended prematurely due to a shoulder injury.

Will McDowell-White took the leap into the next echelon of players in NBL23 – as indicated by his nomination for the Most Improved award. McDowell-White represents the new age of big, well-rounded ball-handlers, and Barry Brown’s scoring prowess benefitted from having the Boomers guard alongside him.

Shannon Scott has added an air of elegance and grace to an exciting, all-action Taipans side that has often bordered on chaotic this season. Whether it be in the starting line-up or as a calming influence off the bench, the Snakes have benefitted from his experience with the ball in hand.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It&#39;s just too easy for <a href="https://twitter.com/SEMelbPhoenix?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SEMelbPhoenix</a> on offence. Gary Browne is just doing his thing.... dangerous stuff. <br><br>Watch the second half on ESPN <a href="https://t.co/BBlwyr9sVn">pic.twitter.com/BBlwyr9sVn</a></p>&mdash; ESPN Australia &amp; NZ (@ESPNAusNZ) <a href="https://twitter.com/ESPNAusNZ/status/1598978990718734339?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 3, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Rebounds per game - the top five:

Alan Williams – 9.6 (27 games)
Keanu Pinder – 9.3 (19 games)
Sam Froling – 8.0 (28 games)
Dererk Pardon – 8.0 (28 games)
Xavier Cooks – 7.8 (28 games)

Alan Williams came to South East Melbourne with the prerogative of locking down the defence and raiding the glass. He did both to great effect to end the season averaging just shy of a double-double per game.

‘Big Sauce’ – who recently signed a two-year extension at the Phoenix – had his importance hammered home when fellow centre Zhou Qi returned to China for personal reasons. While Qi left a big hole in the centre rotation Williams more than made up for his absence.

While the likes of Sam Waardenburg and DJ Hogg lifted their intensity on the boards following Keanu Pinder’s injury problems Adam Forde has openly said the team can’t replace all of the back-to-back Most Improved Player’s rebounds. Should that Taipans make it to the Grand Final series Pinder could be in line for a timely return to action and start racking up the rebounds once more.

Sam Froling continued his rise in NBL23, and if he’s not already one of the most talented and exciting young centres plying his trade in the NBL he soon will be. Both he and Defensive Player of the Year nominee Dererk Pardon remarkably each pulled down exactly the same number of rebounds over the course of the season – 224.

For a player who often does his best work when he can use his athleticism to run at pace in transition, MVP winner Xavier Cooks’ ability to pull down a monster number of rebounds is just another string he’s added to his bow in recent seasons – and his ability on the glass proved to be a crucial tipping point in the MVP race.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">??? ????? ?? ???? ?? ???? ??<br><br>Alan Williams has signed on for two more years with the South East Melbourne Phoenix ?<br><br>Read more: <a href="https://t.co/y4Ho55Begu">https://t.co/y4Ho55Begu</a> <a href="https://t.co/iqhFhmoPxn">pic.twitter.com/iqhFhmoPxn</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1622717743274545153?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2023</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Blocks per game - the top five:

Isaac Humphries – 1.7 (23 games)
Marcus Lee – 1.6 (17 games)
DJ Hogg – 1.3 (28 games)
Will Magnay – 1.1 (18 games)
Dererk Pardon – 1.0 (28 games)

The two most effective shot-blockers in the NBL won’t be participating in the Finals, as Melbourne United fell at the final hurdle of the regular season to finish seventh.

After missing close to a year with a knee injury, Humphries returned to the NBL with his new side and picked up where he left off with the 36ers. From the word go he’s maintained his position as one of the most effective one-on-one rim protectors in the league.

Lee, on the other hand, was a revelation for the side that had previously struggled to replace injured Next Star Ariel Hukporti and gave immense backing to Humphries in the centre position. His addition to the side late in the season proved to be the catalyst for Melbourne’s late season surge in form.

DJ Hogg might be most recognised for his scoring prowess, but it would be disrespectful to deny he’s one of the top defenders in the league. His length and sneaky athleticism make him a tough matchup for forwards across the competition on a nightly basis.

Will Magnay made his own return from a long-term knee injury mid-season, and while he showed obvious signs of rust early he rebounded to produce the type of defensive output that earned him an NBA opportunity with the New Orleans Pelicans in 2020.

A large part of Dererk Pardon’s nomination for the league’s Defensive Player of the Year came from his immense rim protecting abilities, with even Wildcats legend Damian Martin saying having a player like Pardon defending the paint allows the whole team to press up and defend their own man more closely. While he only averaged one block per game, if there was a metric for shots affected he would surely lead the competition.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">? Last night Isaac Humphries became the youngest player to reach 100 blocks in the NBL&#39;s 40-minute era. Following reaching that milestone and our win over the Wildcats we caught up with him to get some insight on how we was feeling. <a href="https://t.co/qDcbJKC6LV">pic.twitter.com/qDcbJKC6LV</a></p>&mdash; Melbourne United (@MelbUnited) <a href="https://twitter.com/MelbUnited/status/1587361302569226242?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Steals per game - the top five:

Josh Magette – 2.0 (28 games)
Tahjere McCall – 1.9 (22 games)
Antonius Cleveland – 1.9 (28 games)
Shannon Scott – 1.6 (28 games)
Bryce Cotton – 1.6 (28 games)

Josh Magette’s absence from the Tasmania JackJumpers’ Finals campaign is set to be felt on both ends of the floor. While the calmness and leadership he provides on the offensive end is what he’s most well-known for, his tenacity and grit on the defensive end of the floor will be missed just as much.

Tahjere McCall has been a key part of the Cairns Taipans’ turnaround in NBL23. He, along with centre Keanu Pinder, stuck with the club through a difficult NBL22 campaign and ensured the culture of the club was embedded within the new and exciting group as early as possible. He missed his side’s Round 18 clash with Perth – and the Snakes will be hoping their spiritual leader is back in time for the Seeding Qualifier against Tasmania.

Antonius Cleveland’s ability on defence was a known commodity when he arrived in Adelaide, and the former Dallas Maverick won his second consecutive Damian Martin Defensive Player of the Year Award this season – largely due to his ability to lock down his direct opponent.

Shannon Scott’s tenacity on the defensive end of the floor – especially when matching up on some of the highest quality floor generals the NBL has to offer – has been crucial in setting the tone for the Taipans’ defence this season.

While Bryce Cotton is often the target of offensive switches due to his size, you can bank on the fact that he will always hold the opposition players accountable if they choose to go at him. His active hands ensure every pass within his vicinity has to be centimetre perfect.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">If you&#39;re even CLOSE to being open, Josh Magette will find you ?<br><br>Catch the action live on ESPN via Kayo Sports and Foxtel. <a href="https://t.co/FkKDJw0kyn">pic.twitter.com/FkKDJw0kyn</a></p>&mdash; NBL (@NBL) <a href="https://twitter.com/NBL/status/1605863621564604416?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 22, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>