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Cotton claims NBL MVP; LaMelo top rookie

Bryce Cotton has won his second Andrew Gaze Trophy as the NBL's Most Valuable Player.

The Perth Wildcats point guard capped off a brilliant season by winning the NBL's highest individual honour with 88 votes, ahead of Cairns Taipans' Scott Machado (80 votes) and Brisbane Bullets' Lamar Patterson (73 votes).

It was the second MVP for Cotton, who also won in 2018. He was presented with the award at a gala dinner in Melbourne to celebrate the 2019-20 season.

The 27 year-old, who topped the league scoring, was also named in the All NBL First Team along with Machado, Patterson, Nick Kay (Perth Wildcats) and Jae'Sean Tate (Sydney Kings).

Cairns coach Mike Kelly won the Lindsay Gaze Coach of the Year award after the Taipans climbed the bottom of the ladder last season to this season's finals. Cairns' DJ Newbill was also named Defensive Player of the Year.

NBL Next Star and projected top three NBA Draft pick LaMelo Ball won Rookie of the Year while Brisbane's Will Magnay was named Most Improved Player and his Bullets teammate Jason Cadee the Sixth Man award.

The All NBL Second Team comprised of Sydney's Casper Ware and Andrew Bogut, Cairns' DJ Newbill and Cameron Oliver, and New Zealand's Scott Hopson.

Full details of the NBL Awards:

Andrew Gaze Trophy - Most Valuable Player
Bryce Cotton (Perth) - 88 votes
Scott Machado (Cairns) - 80 votes
Lamar Patterson (Brisbane) - 73 votes

Lindsay Gaze Trophy - Coach of the Year
Mike Kelly (Cairns) - 65 votes
Will Weaver (Sydney) - 39 votes
Trevor Gleeson (Perth) - 32 votes

All NBL First Team
Jae'Sean Tate (Inside) - 31 votes
Nick Kay (Inside) - 30 votes
Scott Machado (Outside) - 46 votes
Bryce Cotton (Outside) - 44 votes
Lamar Patterson (Outside) - 43 votes

All NBL Second Team
Cam Oliver (Inside) - 27 votes
Andrew Bogut (Inside) - 23 votes
Scotty Hopson (Outside) - 34 votes
DJ Newbill (Inside) - 26 votes
Caper Ware (Outside) - 16 votes

Rookie of the Year
LaMelo Ball (Illawarra) - 49 votes
Kouat Noi (Cairns) - 44 votes
RJ Hampton (New Zealand) - 23 votes

Sixth Man
Jason Cadee (Brisbane) - 31 votes
Daniel Kickert (Sydney) - 28 votes
Will Magnay (Brisbane) - 26 votes

Most Improved Player
Will Magnay (Brisbane) - 53 votes
Dane Pineau (South East Melbourne) - 49 votes
Sunday Dech (Illawarra) - 27 votes

Defensive Player of the Year
DJ Newbill (Cairns) - 46 votes
Will Magnay (Brisbane) - 42 votes
Andrew Bogut (Sydney) - 33 votes

Fans MVP
Scott Machado (Cairns)

Gametime by Kmart MVP Award
Dane Pineau (South East Melbourne)

Referee of the Year
Vaughan Mayberry

Most Outstanding Media Coverage
ESPN