Phoenix headline MVP Award nominations!

A panel of experts selected nominees for the MVP, Next Generation Award, Best Sixth Man, Damian Martin Trophy for the Defensive Player of the Year, and Most Improved Player. The panel of experts for the awards comprised of Andrew Gaze, Olgun Uluc, Derek Rucker, Michael Cedar, John Casey and Alice Kunek.

The head coaches and captains from all teams, and the panel of experts, vote for the MVP, while the head coaches, an assistant coach, and captains from all teams vote for the Next Generation Award, Best Sixth Man, Damian Martin Trophy for the Defensive Player of the Year, Most Improved Player, Lindsay Gaze Trophy for Coach of the Year, and the All-NBL First and Second Teams.

The NBL will announce the three finalists for each award on Sunday.

The nominees are: 

Andrew Gaze Trophy for Most Valuable Player – presented by Hungry Jack’s
Bryce Cotton (Perth)
Chris Goulding (Melbourne)
Casey Prather (Brisbane)
Jaylen Adams (Sydney)
Kendric Davis (Adelaide)
Montrezl Harrell (Adelaide)
Matt Hurt (South East Melbourne)
Parker Jackson-Cartwright (New Zealand)
Sam Froling (Illawarra)
Tyler Harvey (Illawarra)
Trey Kell III (Illawarra)
Xavier Cooks (Sydney)

Most Improved Player presented by AAMI 
Ben Henshall (Perth)
Kouat Noi (Sydney)
Owen Foxwell (South East Melbourne)
Sam Waardenburg (Cairns)
Taran Armstrong (Cairns)
Tyrell Harrison (Brisbane)
Will Hickey (Illawarra)

Best Sixth Man
Cam Oliver (Sydney)
Ian Clark (Melbourne)
Kouat Noi (Sydney)
Marcus Lee (Melbourne)
Owen Foxwell (South East Melbourne)
Will Hickey (Illawarra)

Damian Martin Trophy for Defensive Player of the Year
Matthew Dellavedova (Melbourne)
Marcus Lee (Melbourne)
Mitch Norton (Brisbane)
Shea Ili (Melbourne)
Will Magnay (Tasmania)
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (Illawarra)
Xavier Cooks (Sydney)

Next Generation Award presented by Champion
Alex Toohey (Sydney)
Ben Henshall (Perth)
Izan Almansa (Perth)
Karim Lopez (New Zealand)
Lachlan Olbrich (Illawarra)
Malique Lewis (South East Melbourne)
Taran Armstrong (Cairns)
Wani Swaka Lo Buluk (Illawarra)

All coaches are nominated for the Lindsay Gaze Trophy for Coach of the Year, while all players are eligible for the All-NBL First and Second teams. Other awards to be announced on the night are the Executive of the Year, Referee of the Year presented by Europcar, Fans’ MVP presented by Chemist Warehouse, the Gametime by Kmart Award, and the Three Pointer of the Year presented by Mitsubishi Motors Australia.

The Andrew Gaze MVP Awards Night will be broadcast on Kayo and the NBL website from 7:30pm AEDT on Monday night.