“You want Bryce?”: How one line changed everything

They pulled off one of the biggest recruiting coups in league history, and Matt Weston has shared the moment he first told Mike Wells the 36ers might actually land an NBL legend.

“His name was deep in my mind, but I didn’t want to get too excited and get people thinking it could happen in case it couldn’t,” Adelaide’s GM of Basketball Operations revealed on NBL Now.

“I’d had about a half-hour discussion with Bryce’s guys and thought, this could actually happen.

“I sort of shocked Mike when I went over to him during the Development Player camp and said, ‘You want Bryce? We could get him.’ He thought I was mucking around. He said, ‘Are you serious?’ I said, ‘We’ve got him on the hook. What do you think?’”

“He (Wells) couldn’t concentrate for about a day and a half at the DP camp while I went and did the deal.”

Wells remembers the moment vividly.

“You’re trying to give all those young guys the proper respect at the development camp. They’ve worked their tails off to be there. He (Weston) literally comes over when we’re doing the first shooting drill and drops that on me,” the 36ers head coach said.

“The rest of the time, I’m trying to focus on what’s going on, but I’m thinking, is he messing with me? Why would he do this right now? The whole day I kept going back, are you serious? Okay, let’s do this.”

It all came together in a flash. While rumours and speculation are part and parcel of professional sport, no one saw this one coming.

On Thursday, May 22, the news sent shockwaves through the NBL – Bryce Cotton was an Adelaide 36er.

“It’s probably the greatest free agent signing in NBL history,” Derek Rucker said.

“There have been a number of big moves, but in my 35 years in the league, I don’t think there’s been a more impactful move.”

But the 36ers weren’t done. After locking in their number one Free Agency target Flynn Cameron, they went bigger – bringing back Montrezl Harrell and adding Zylan Cheatham to the mix.

It was more than just a roster build. It was an off-season statement from one of the league’s most storied clubs.

The 2025 NBA Summer League starts from July 11, Australian time, with exclusive interviews and insights available on the NBL App and NBL.com.au.