Check out Pete Hooley's take on the first four rounds of NBL action and all the major awards.
We're only a month in the Hungry Jack's NBL25 Season, but already there's be standouts, stars, surprise packets and a look at the next generation of MVP candidates.
It's early days, but we thought it was a time to take a look at those in the mix for all the key awards.
Check out Pete Hooley's take on the first four rounds of NBL action.
MVP
Every indicator this season points towards an incredibly close MVP race. I will also preface this column again with the fact that team performance is a big factor, with this award in particular, hence why Bryce Cotton scrapes in on the back of his big game in a win Cairns.
It’s also hard to narrow down some names at this point, due to the fact New Zealand has only played the two games. Yet, in those two games Parker Jackson-Cartwright showed exactly why he was a finalist for this award last season.
Xavier Cooks has very quietly gone about a dominant start to the NBL25 season, averaging almost 19 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 2 steals.
Trey Kell III andDJ Vasiljevic have both taken big strides forward in their contributions so far, too. Kell leading the Hawks with just under 20 points per game and Vasiljevic just over 20 points.
In the mix
Xavier Cooks
Trey Kell III
DJ Vasiljevic
Jack White
Parker Jackson-Cartwright
Bryce Cotton
Honourable mention: Had his team not been 0-5, Matt Hurt would be right up there in the MVP race. Currently a league-leader with 22 points per game, to go with 7 rebounds, he has been outstanding for his winless side.
Trey Kell III.
Most Improved Player
Another award that is tough to gauge early in the season for several reasons. We often see players shine early and perhaps fall out of the rotation as the season progresses, and vice versa.
Similar to Jackson-Cartwright with the MVP race, Sam Mennenga has only played the two games for New Zealand, but did enough to show fans that he has taken a big leap forward this season.
While the Most Improved Player is usually gets an increased role which sees a significant jump in production. Will Hickey is one who will be right in the mix for this award, with how important he has been off the bench for the Hawks.
The other side of this, is when you get players like Kristian Doolittle and Trey Kell III in the mix. When you look at their production last season, compared to what they have done through the first four rounds, you see a major jump.
In the mix
Will Hickey
Sam Mennenga
Kyrin Galloway
Trey Kell III
Kristian Doolittle
Taran Armstrong
Kristian Doolittle.
Sixth Man of the Year
After four rounds, we have seen a lot of lineups change already and that is a trend that will likely continue for a few more weeks until teams settle on what works. The frontrunner here is undoubtedly Cam Oliver, who is a star in this league but has found a role off the bench for the Kings that Brian Goorjian is happy with. If he continues in that for the season, it will be incredibly tough for anyone to take this award from him.
Having said that, don’t discount Will Hickey making a charge for the best sixth man either. While team performance isn’t a massive indicator when it comes to voting for this award, if you are a major factor in your team winning, then it will help you gather support here – and that is precisely what Hickey is doing for the Hawks.
Another one to watch over the next four rounds is Melbourne United’s starting lineup. If Matthew Dellavedova continues to come off the bench, then his production will see him in the mix, or will Ian Clark thrive in his sixth man role once again?
In the mix
Cam Oliver
Matthew Dellavedova
Will Hickey
Kyrin Galloway
Mojave King
Cam Oliver.
Best Defensive Player
I mention it every year with this award and sometimes it gets forgotten, but statistics never tell the whole story about who is the Best Defensive Player in the competition. Damian Martin himself proved that to be true and the recent winners of it also support that sentiment.
Last year's winner, Shea Ili, has once again shown through the first four rounds that he is the best defender in the competition. Ili has United holding down the best team defensive rating by a significant margin, and his performance on DJ Vasiljevic on Sunday was a prime example. The Hawks are no slouches defensively, either, and Wani Swaka-Lo-Buluk has been taking scalps every single game. His numbers and defensive impact are further highlighted by his team’s dominance through the opening four rounds of the season.
In the mix
Shea Ili
Wani Swaka-Lo-Buluk
Bul Kuol
Sunday Dech
Kristian Doolittle
Will Magnay
Shea Ili guards Bryce Cotton.
Champion Next Generation Award
This has become one of the more exciting awards to keep track of throughout the season, due to the number of players eligible to win it. A reminder that any player, as long as they are under 25-years-old by April 30 of the conclusion of the season, will be eligible.
This year, we're highlighting the players in the mix for the award in a separate piece, the day after the Awards Watch drops. Keep an eye on our channels for this one.
Keli Leaupepe.
Coach of the Year
If you were voting on this award after Round 4, then Justin Tatum would be your coach of the year and it could even be unanimous. Tatum has been revelation for Illawarra since he took over last year and with a full pre season under his belt, the Hawks have come out on fire and look to be a leading contender. With so much of the season left, he won’t be without some competition, as Dean Vickerman has his team rolling as well. Currently they’re the benchmark of the league in terms of defensive rating, which is a trademark of a Vickerman coached team.
Mike Wells is another name to watch in this award, as he has strung together some strong performances from his team after their 0-2 start. How far can Adelaide go with their star-studded lineup?
In the mix
Justin Tatum
Dean Vickerman
Mike Wells
Brian Goorjian
Adam Forde
Mike Wells.
