Wildcats Imports "Super-Excited" to Start

By Dan Woods - NBL Media

After an active off-season filled with changes on both the playing and coaching staff, the Perth Wildcats are settling in for another long and exciting NBL campaign.

Import signings TaShawn Thomas and Brady Manek have hit the ground running on the training court, as has NBL veteran Corey Webster. The trio of star recruits will be hoping to have a huge impact on their new team's season as Perth looks to return to the playoffs.

They aren’t the only new faces around the side though, with head coach John Rillie and a host of other players, including highly regarded development players Jack Andrew and Michael Harris also preparing for their first season at the RAC Arena.

With some players returning late and others jetting off for international commitments, the Wildcats have had one of the most disrupted pre-season campaigns in the NBL. Thomas says new coach Rillie is handling the disruptions well.

“Coach John is doing a really good job of attacking the situation,” Thomas told SEN.

“I don’t think we’ve really harped on the fact the guys have been gone.

“I feel like the team mentality is the development guys have been playing well and have been big for us in practice. We know it’s going to show when everybody comes back.

“Just the mentality us as a team have approached with everybody being new, we’re all on the same page and wanting to get past the uncommon thing, we just want to be the team coach John wants us to be."

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">NOW |<a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@PerthWildcats</a> newest faces in <a href="https://twitter.com/BradyManek?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BradyManek</a>, TaShawn Thomas and <a href="https://twitter.com/cwebster9?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@cwebster9</a> join <a href="https://twitter.com/gilly381?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@gilly381</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/TimGossage?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TimGossage</a> in the studio!<br><br>Listen LIVE on <a href="https://twitter.com/SEN_track?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SEN_track</a> 657am, SEN Kalgoorlie or on <a href="https://twitter.com/SENWestAus?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SENWestAus</a> via the <a href="https://twitter.com/1116sen?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@1116sen</a> app ?? <a href="https://t.co/RSKNbznfPO">pic.twitter.com/RSKNbznfPO</a></p>&mdash; SEN WA Breakfast (@SENWABreakfast) <a href="https://twitter.com/SENWABreakfast/status/1565476336562368512?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 1, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Manek agreed with Thomas’ sentiment, saying his transition into the professional game has been a smooth one. 

“I feel like I’m in a good zone of being ready to go and getting back into the basketball part of everything. The training with the lifting and basketball, it’s all been great,” he said.

“Very good communication with how everyone wants things to happen between coaches and us and we’re all really enjoying all being here.

“This is my first time getting paid to play basketball which is a cool feeling … I just play basketball and that’s super cool. This is where I wanted to be … so it’s super exciting to be here now.”

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Who had more fun, us or the kids? ? <br><br>Thanks for having us Roseworth Primary School, we had a ball! <a href="https://t.co/FQoV4bFDcF">pic.twitter.com/FQoV4bFDcF</a></p>&mdash; Perth Wildcats (@PerthWildcats) <a href="https://twitter.com/PerthWildcats/status/1562299182148636672?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">August 24, 2022</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

One familiar face in the Wildcats dressing room is Bryce Cotton, with the veteran guard and three-time league MVP returning for his sixth season in Wildcats red.

Cotton is obviously a known quantity amongst NBL fans and players across the country, but it seems like his reputation precedes him internationally.

Thomas says after everything he’d heard about the five-time league scoring champion, he was excited to finally meet him.

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“You sign a contract and say you’re going to Perth and everyone’s like ‘Bryce Cotton’s out there’. I heard that from everyone back in the States,” Thomas said.

“He and I have the same agency so my agent gave me a heads up. My agent doesn’t beat around the bush so for him to tell me what he told me about Bryce … I was excited to see him because I’d heard so many good things.

“It was more knowing he has to be ‘that guy’ for everyone to bring his name up … to see him on the court now and see it’s true, it’s good to see.