New Aussie citizen Bryce Cotton opens up on potential Boomers call-up
After waiting nine years to become an Australian citizen, basketball phenomenon Bryce Cotton has delivered an unexpected verdict on his Boomers future.
The NBL’s best player Bryce Cotton says playing for the Boomers isn’t on his radar despite obtaining his Australian citizenship after a nine-year wait.
It’s been widely speculated Cotton could don the green and gold now he is naturalised, but the legendary guard from America insists he has moved on.
Asked if he had a desire to represent Australia at a World Cup or Olympics, the five-time NBL MVP said: “Not really – for me it is thrill of just being a citizen and then from an NBL standpoint the opportunity to play as a local.
“And what that means for me individually and what it means for any team that I play for and obviously playing for the 36ers.
“That is what excites me a lot, but as far as the Boomers stuff that doesn’t cross my mind.
“I think people want that (me to play for the Boomers) more than I do.”
Cotton expressed a desire to play for the Boomers at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, but his bid was stalled by the Australian Olympic Committee’s requirements.
The AOC demanded Basketball Australia guarantee Cotton’s position in the Boomers’ team and BA insisted they couldn’t as the team for Tokyo was yet to be selected.
At the start of 2024 the star guard said the citizenship process had been so frustrating he wouldn’t want to play for the Boomers.
A year on and Cotton says his mindset on representing Australia hasn’t changed.
“There was a period when I was entertaining the opportunity, for sure,” he said.
“But it was never a goal of mine, as I’ve said before.
“When the opportunity came up I was like, ‘sure, if I can do this, let’s do it, but after different things transpired I thought, ‘that’s OK, this was never a goal in the first place.
“As I said, I’m more happy about what citizenship means for me from a life standpoint and what it means from an NBL standpoint.”
Cotton couldn’t be happier with his new life as an Adelaide 36er and it was written all over his maiden performance for the club in Sunday’s clash against EuroLeague giants Panathinaikos.
The Sixers couldn’t outlast the Greek powerhouse, losing by 17, but the NBL’s modern day little master more than held his own with 24 points.
Cotton’s battle with Panathinaikos star and reigning EuroLeague MVP Kendrick Nunn was must-watch basketball.
Nunn finished with a game-high 26 points to lead his team to victory, but the NBL’s premier player proved he was on a similar level to the former Miami Heat NBA star.
Cotton looked comfortable in Adelaide’s back-court alongside fellow sharpshooter Dejan Vasiljevic, with the pair combining for 46 points.
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Adelaide’s marquee man is thrilled with his move to the City of Churches thus far, although he concedes his recent citizenship approval is still sinking in.
“It doesn’t feel real, honestly,” he said.
“To even be talking about the fact I’m an Australian citizenship still sounds crazy to say, but the race is finally won.”
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