LAST year’s National Basketball League (NBL) premiers, Perth Wildcats will look to go back-to-back in the competition after remarkably retaining the majority of its successful list, while picking up a number of top young talents to compliment the side. While the Wildcats were tested at times last season, they ultimately got the job done when it counted, crucially earning the minor premiership, before holding off reigning premiers Melbourne United in the final playoff series. Many fans also believed Bryce Cotton deserved the league’s Most Valuable Player (MVP) for his remarkable season, with plenty of Wildcats up and about when National Basketball Association (NBA) and Sydney Kings center Andrew Bogut received the award.

Position: 1st (Premiers)
Percentage: 106.11%
Win-loss: 18-10

2018/2019 Overview:

Last season it was hard to look past the remarkable form of Cotton, who finished the year with the most average points in the league, posting up 22.52 per game, while ranking seventeenth overall for assists and equal eighth in the competition for steals. Despite missing out on MVP honours, Cotton’s season was the cream on top of a very sweet cake for Wildcats fans who celebrated their ninth title – more than double their nearest rivals. They are well placed to reach double figures too, with only veteran Greg Hire retiring, Angus Brandt released to head to Italy, and Sunday Dench heading to Illawarra from the main list. Terrico White‘s re-signing was a relief for the Wildcats as he looms as another big player in the team, while Nick Kay and Mitch Norton are on long-term deals. After good form in the NBL1 competition, Majok Majok crossed the ditch and headed west from the New Zealand Breakers to provide a different element to the side, while Illawarra young gun Nic Pozoglou earned a place on the development list after a strong season with Melbourne in the NBL1. With supercoach Trevor Gleeson at the helm, the Wildcats were always bound for success and now they are craving more.

Projected shining light:

While the Wildcats head into 2019/20 with an experienced list, Rhys Vague is a player who due to strong form last season as a development player, has earned a full list spot for the upcoming season. Still 22 years of age to start the season, Vague averaged just 7.6 minutes on court, but got the valuable time during the playoffs to stand up in big moments. He, along with Pozoglou could see more minutes on the court and provide relief for the starting five throughout the season. With the Wildcats’ focus on developing West Australian talent, no doubt there will be plenty of hidden gems the reigning premiers might look to for future seasons.