THE 2024/2025 NBL season has come to an end for the Perth Wildcats in a heartbreaking one-point defeat to archrivals Melbourne United. The Wildcats had lost all four games to Melbourne this season leading into game two of the semi-final series but won a thriller to force a third game on Tuesday evening, where Chris Goulding’s late free-throw iced one of the best NBL games of all time to send Perth home.

Perth began the year with a win over the SEM Phoenix at home, before dropping four of its next five games to open the season 2-4. After five rounds Perth was eighth on the NBL table and looking at a grim season ahead. To make matters worse, in the Round 5 loss to the New Zealand Breakers, superstar Bryce Cotton exited after just two minutes with a rib injury. He would go on to miss the Wildcats next five games and things looked dire for the Western Australian side. 

Multiple players stepped up in Cotton’s absence, as Tai Webster, Ben Henshall, Keanu Pinder, Kristian Doolittle and Elijah Pepper all took turns leading the team in scoring during this span. Doolittle established himself as a legitimate first offensive option, while ripping down double-digit rebounds in three of those five games.

Henshall in particular rose to the occasion and filled in admirably as the team’s lead guard, as Tai Webster also missed time during this period, and was able to boost his NBA draft stocks as helped to keep his team afloat during trying times. 

Ultimately, Perth would end up winning three of the five games that Cotton missed to rise from eighth to sixth in the standings, and Cotton’s return was the start of an incredible run of form for both himself and the team.

In his first game back from his rib issue, Cotton dropped 33 points on the Phoenix in a win. Perth began to heat up, and for the remainder of the season, they won 13 of their last 18 games. Across the months of December, January and February the Wildcats finished with a record of 11-4.

During those final months of the NBL season, Cotton would take his game to an unimaginably elite level, with scoring performances of 59, 40, 49, 44, 41, 38, 36, 49 and 32 points against the Tasmania JackJumpers in just 28 minutes. 

Upon returning from injury until the final regular season game, Cotton averaged a remarkable 32 points per game. His season total, including the zero points he scored in his two minutes against the Breakers, was 28.5 points per game, by far the highest of his already decorated NBL career. Cotton’s superb form and role in helping Perth climb back up to finish third on the ladder would see him rewarded with his fifth NBL MVP trophy, and eighth All-NBA First Team selection. 

Doolittle missed some time during the middle stages of the year but also hit some fantastic form heading into the latter stages of the year, averaging 20 points and nine rebounds in the final six games of the regular season. 

The Wildcats also experienced periods without Pinder, Webster and Dylan Windler. They dealt with lineup changes often, and new and different roles being thrown at them by head coach John Rillie and were able to adapt and succeed in making their way to the postseason.

The Wildcats saw positive development from young players Henshall, Pepper and Izan Almansa, as well as getting minutes from David Okwera and Jesse Wagstaff when needed. They will hope for a bounce-back season next year from young forward Hyrum Harris who saw a drop in numbers across the board and was played just 16 minutes across the final three regular season and four postseason matches. 

Heading into 2025/2026, the team is facing a potential wrath of changes, with Cotton, Doolittle, Hyrum Harris, Michael Harris, Henshall, Pinder, Wagstaff, Tai Webster and Windler all free agents in the offseason ahead.

That is seven of the eight players who got minutes in their loss to Melbourne on Tuesday, with just Almansa, who played two minutes, still contracted. He and Dontae Russo-Nance are contracted, while Pepper, Okwera and development player Thomas Gerovich all have options pending. 

Alamnsa and Henshall are expected to nominate for the upcoming NBA Draft in July, though Henshall could potentially opt to return for another NBL season or head to the US to play NCAA basketball. 

Overall, it was a tremendous season for the Perth Wildcats, after facing a bumpy start and overcoming some big obstacles. They pushed Melbourne United to the final buzzer, and if they can bring back the core of their roster, they will be a force again in 2025/2026. A fascinating off season awaits.