Long live the King: Cooks crowned MVP at NBL awards night

The Sydney Kings’ star is the toast of the league however even he says it as soon as appeared like a far-fetched dream.

“This is really new to me,” Cooks informed News Corp as he clutched the Andrew Gaze Trophy.

“I’m the kind of guy that never made Australian teams, never made bottom-age teams.

“I’m really enjoying the journey.”

Cooks, 27, has loved a speedy emergence as a bona fide Australian basketball star over the previous two years — a testomony to his refusal to surrender, regardless of the dearth of elite-team recognition.

“I think it helped keep me hungry,” he stated.

“It helped me get that hunger to keep getting better and better and never be satisfied.

“I’m starting to build some confidence in myself as I’m starting to pile up these awards.”

That confidence extends to the Kings’ back-to-back title possibilities after the league’s prime particular person award was added to a trophy cupboard that options the NBL finals MVP he received in final 12 months’s title run, together with this season’s a top-of-the-table end.

“It’s something really crazy. Right now, a lot of emotions are going through my head,” he stated.

“I have so much respect for so many people in that room and to be considered the most valuable player, it’s going to take a couple of days to sink in, for sure.”

An MVP trophy that when appeared “unachievable and unrealistic” has now been ticked off and the NBA is likely to be subsequent — a lot prior to anybody would possibly count on.

“The thankful thing is, we finish our season early this year and you can still sign as a free agent over there, so I would love to do something like that after we hopefully win the championship,” Cooks stated.

“It’s a bit of a far-fetched dream but so was winning this award.

“Dream big and see what happens.”

Cooks did all of it this season, averaging 16.2 factors, 7.8 rebounds and 4.2 assists and dominating each ends of the ground as a hyper-efficient anchor for the Kings.

Ballarat-born Cooks, who grew up in Wollongong whereas father Eric performed for the Hawks, was a runaway winner beating out Perth’s triple-MVP Bryce Cotton by 24 votes. Star South East Melbourne ahead Mitch Creek was third.

He joins Andrew Bogut and Jaylen Adams because the third King prior to now 5 seasons to take residence the award.

The trio of MVP finalists had been joined within the All-NBL First Team by versatile Tasmania guard Milton Doyle and Kings’ flooring common Derrick Walton Jr.

Adelaide 36ers’ star Antonius Cleveland’s rugged defence helped him make it consecutive Damian Martin trophies.

The American was named Defensive Player of the Year in a area of three which sparked controversy in the course of the week.

The Kings’ hierarchy was miffed Cooks and lockdown wing Justin Simon weren’t named among the many three finalists. Even Martin, himself, had Simon profitable the award.

Cleveland, who was the reigning winner after his sensible season in Illawarra, used his supreme athleticism to influence video games on the defensive finish — though his staff struggled to include opponents.

Cairns mentor Adam Forde held off New Zealand’s Mody Maor and Sydney’s Chase Buford for the Coach of the Year after spearheading Cairns’ stand up the ladder. Forde used pre-season predictions the Taipans would end final to spur his staff to 3rd on the ladder.

Maor may contemplate himself a bit of stiff, given the Breakers had spent the most effective a part of two Covid-affected seasons within the doldrums, enjoying residence video games in Australia, earlier than he took the reins, revamped the roster and led the Breakers into the semi finals.

Cairns dominated the opposite awards on a banner night time for the membership, star huge man Keanu Pinder taking residence back-to-back Most Improved Player gongs, teammate Sam Waardenburg claiming the Next Generation Award and membership boss Mark Beecroft named the league’s Executive of the Year.

Pinder made historical past as the one participant to win the award twice.

Breakers’ bench spark plug Barry Brown Jr was the plain Best Sixth Man, netting greater than half the votes after his instantaneous offence put him within the prime 5 scorers within the league.

Brown Jr paid tribute to his teammates and the way they’d jelled collectively off the court docket, which helped him influence the sport off the bench.

“Got to credit coach Mody (Maor) and those guys for getting us all together,” Brown stated.

“We came in together and … we put our egos to the side … for the betterment of the team.”

Departing Adelaide 36er Kai Sotto loved a flood of assist from his Filipino compatriots, claiming a second consecutive Fans MVP.

Andrew Gaze Trophy for Most Valuable Player

Xavier Cooks (Sydney) – 120 votes

Bryce Cotton (Perth) – 96 votes

Mitch Creek (South East Melbourne) – 80 votes

Most Improved Player

Keanu Pinder (Cairns) – 48 votes

Will McDowell-White (New Zealand) – 46 votes

Sean Macdonald (Tasmania) – 34 votes

Damian Martin Trophy for the Best Defensive Player

Antonius Cleveland (Adelaide) – 37 votes

Dererk Pardon (New Zealand) – 34 votes

Shea Ili (Melbourne) – 26 votes

Best Sixth Man

Barry Brown Jr (New Zealand) – 73 votes

Tyler Johnson (Brisbane) – 41 votes

Rashard Kelly (Tasmania) – 26 votes

Lindsay Gaze Trophy for Coach of the Year

Adam Forde (Cairns) – 64 votes

Mody Maor (New Zealand) – 52 votes

Chase Buford (Sydney) – 34 votes

Next Generation Award

Sam Waardenburg (Cairns) – 47 votes

Sam Froling (Illawarra) – 45 votes

Luke Travers (Perth) – 24 votes

All-NBL First Team

Xavier Cooks (Sydney) – 54 votes

Mitch Creek (South East Melbourne) – 45 votes

Bryce Cotton (Perth) – 54 votes

Milton Doyle (Tasmania) – 42 votes

Derrick Walton Jr (Sydney) – 41 votes

All-NBL Second Team

Keanu Pinder (Cairns) – 33 votes

Dererk Pardon (New Zealand) – 22 votes

Barry Brown Jr (New Zealand) – 37 votes

DJ Hogg (Cairns) – 30 votes

Chris Goulding (Melbourne) – 23 votes

Executive of the Year

Mark Beecroft (Cairns)

Fans’ MVP

Kai Sotto (Adelaide)

Gametime by Kmart Award

Reuben Te Rangi (South East Melbourne)

Referee of the Year

Vaughan Mayberry

Originally printed as Xavier Cooks wins the Andrew Gaze Trophy because the NBL’s MVP