Bryce Cotton deserves every celebratory moment that comes his way when he faces Perth Wildcats on Sunday

Time heals all wounds, and Bryce Cotton’s return to RAC Arena to face the Perth Wildcats on Sunday is the perfect opportunity for a wild celebration that will put to bed the shock and drama that followed his departure, and focus on showing him what he’s meant to the club, the city and the sport. Cotton’s departure was sad. It didn’t end in a way that allowed him to be celebrated. A five-time NBL MVP should go out with fireworks and amazing tributes instead of press releases and social media statements. But now, fans will get to celebrate him when a tribute is played at RAC Arena, followed by a standing ovation. The Wildcats have planned this tribute well. It will be before the national anthem when both teams are lined up. The entire focus will be on Cotton. That’s how it should be. It wouldn’t have been the same if they’d played the video while teams were warming up. A raucous chant from the crowd of MVP, MVP, MVP would be brilliant. Wildcats players hugging Cotton could get everyone crying. Cotton standing in the middle of the court, acknowledging the outpouring of love, would be amazing. Cotton spent nine years playing for Perth. But his legacy will live on forever. His jersey will eventually hang from the rafters. He’s a legend and an icon. Cotton made time stand still. Time will stand still for him on Sunday. That is fitting. It shouldn’t have taken eight months to be at this point. So many things could have been done better around Cotton’s contract. The Wildcats communicated Cotton’s departure poorly. They released a statement saying: “Ahead of the Free Agency period for the NBL competition, the Perth Wildcats confirm Bryce Cotton will not be a part of the NBL26 squad. “The five-time NBL MVP, three-time NBL champion, eight-time NBL Scoring Champion and seven-time Gordon Ellis Medal winner has been unable to commit to the Club. “Perth Wildcats Owner, Mark Arena, says while the Club is saddened to lose Cotton’s remarkable talent, there is an understanding of the global reach of basketball and the lucrative opportunities that present themselves to athletes at the pinnacle of their career.” Here’s what that statement didn’t say. The Wildcats gave Cotton a deadline to either sign the deal they’d offered him or they would take it off the table. The deadline was in March, and it was always going to be way too soon for Cotton to agree to. The deadline and way the press release made it look like Cotton was walking out clearly offended the five-time NBL MVP. When fans learned of the deadline months later, it eroded their trust in the club’s decision. It was really messy. Another problem was that the club wasn’t dealing with Cotton directly throughout the negotiations. They were speaking with his agent because that’s how Cotton wanted the discussions to occur. We all know how easily messages can be delivered the wrong way when you’re dealing with a middleman. Had Mark Arena, Danny Mills and John Rillie been able to sit down with Cotton and discuss his genuine thoughts on the future, there’s a strong chance things wouldn’t have gotten as tense. I don’t know anyone who thought Cotton was going to stay in Australia after his stunning season. The widespread consensus was that he would accept a massive deal to play overseas and that Perth had no chance of retaining him. The Wildcats were worried that delaying the decision would cost them both Cotton and other stars who were waiting for deals. That makes sense. If he’d personally told the club there was a genuine chance he’d stay, but needed until May to make a decision, would they have changed their plans? Maybe not. The Wildcats may still have asked for the deadline to be earlier, but a heart-to-heart chat would have allowed everyone to truly understand each other’s position. The love between Cotton and Wildcats players was obvious when the teams met in Adelaide last month. They met with beaming smiles and hugs. There’s no drama there. It’s highly likely there will be plenty of former players at RAC Arena on Sunday too, because they adore Cotton and appreciate everything he’s done for the club. They’ll want to celebrate him. Tickets sold like hot cakes because fans are desperate to be part of history. It will be one of the biggest moments in the club’s history. It felt wild when Cotton signed for Adelaide. But if he wasn’t going to play for Perth, the reality is the best way to really enjoy Cotton’s talents were for him to remain in the NBL. Now, every time he does something epic for the 36ers, we get a reminder of what we got to enjoy in Perth. Welcome home Bryce. We can’t wait to celebrate you.