The one thing missing on Bryce Cotton’s resume

Just days after Australian basketball royalty, Andrew Gaze, said Bryce Cotton is ‘what the Boomers need', the six-time MVP has outlined his desire to one day play for the green and gold.

In a recent interview with basketball.com.au, the Adelaide 36ers star, who recently gained his Australian citizenship, explained how he’s always dreamed of playing at the Olympic Games.

And with the XXXIV Olympiad being held in Los Angeles in 2028, Cotton says he’s very much open to the idea of representing Australia.

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“Obviously, I'm human, so I've bounced around a lot of different emotions [about playing for Australia],” Cotton told basketball.com.au.

“I talked to some people back home, a couple close friends, and as an American growing up, the Olympics is something you never think of, because if you're going to play in the Olympics and you're an American, not only do you got to go to the NBA, you’ve got to be the 0.1 per cent of the players in the NBA as well.

“It was never a thought, but to have an opportunity to play against the world's best and see the world's best of every sport [is intriguing].

“Once I got citizenship, they kind of talked me into it. If the opportunity does come up, maybe I should go after that because that would probably be the one thing left missing on my resume.”

If Cotton was to be selected for Adam Caporn’s Boomers for the 2028 Olympics, it would be as the team’s only naturalised player.

Seven-time NBL MVP Gaze believes having Cotton as the country’s naturalised player, over someone like Portland Trail Blazers' Matisse Thybulle, would be beneficial in the Boomers’ medal hopes in 2028.

“You can only have one naturalised player, but right now, with need, I think Cotton’s skillsets and the way he plays are more required than someone like Matisse [Thybulle],” Gaze told CODE Sports.

“Right now, we need perimeter shooting badly. Bryce has shown that he can run the ball, handle the point and play with the ball as much as he can off the ball.

“For me, he [Cotton] would be in my team. I’ve always thought that Bryce’s game and what he can bring to the team can be very beneficial. I think there is a role for him where he can make a significant contribution, and based on his recent quotes, I’d be knocking on his door.”

The NBL26 Finals tip off on Wednesday, March 4, with the Seeding Qualifier between South East Melbourne and Perth at John Cain Arena from 7.30pm AEDT, live on ESPN.

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