Hear From Friar Basketball Great Bryce Cotton '14

Q and A With Friar Great Bryce Cotton ' 14 –

Bryce Cotton graduated from Providence College in 2014. He finished his career ranked fourth all-time in scoring at Providence with 1,975 points. He was the BIG EAST scoring champion in 2013 (18.3 ppg) and ranked second in 2014 (21.8 ppg). Cotton was a two-time All-BIG EAST First Team Selection, 2014 BIG EAST Tournament MVP and 2014 Honorable Mention All-American. The four-year letter winner on the Friar men's basketball team played parts of two seasons (2015 and 2016) in the NBA for Utah, Phoenix and Memphis. He also has played professionally in Turkey, China and Australia. Most recently, he has had played for the Perth Wildcats in the Australian National Basketball League (NBL) since 2017. He helped the Wildcats capture the NBL title in 2017, 2019 and 2020 and he earned NBL Finals MVP honors in 2017 and 2020. He also was the NBL scoring champion in 2017, 2019 and 2020.

1) Can you tell the fans what country you are living in and what life has been like for the last few months?

Currently, I'm in Perth which is located in Western Australia. Life has been a huge adjustment in the past month in particular due to the coronavirus and the precautions put in place to stop it from spreading so rapidly. Luckily for me I'm used to being at home all the time so the social distancing thing is working out just fine.

2) You continue to play basketball at a very high level, what are your long-term goals?

Basketball has always meant everything to me and trying to play at a high level is something that I always push myself to do. I am curious to see how long I will be able to play at a high level. Consistency is key in sports and that's one of the things you have to be as a player in order to receive respect from your peers and to be remembered.

3) It has been six years since you left Friartown, what part of your game do you feel has changed the most since you left?

I can't believe it's been 6 years since I graduated from PC, but honestly, I don't think much of my game has changed. I have the same style of play with the same athleticism. It's probably easier to say that the strengths I had as a player at Friartown have just been further enhanced at this point in my career.

4) You got recruited to Providence just prior to the start of your freshman year in 2010, do you ever think back about where you would be now if that recruiting trip had never happened?

I think about if Providence would've never given me a scholarship all the time. Honestly, if it wasn't for PC, I don't know if I ever would've played college basketball. However, Keno Davis took a chance on me and although he was only my coach for one year, he's the one that gave me a chance which I'm forever grateful for. That opportunity has resulted in me receiving a college degree, having an amazing collegiate career, and playing in the NBA, as well as overseas. That's not bad for a kid that got a scholarship just before school was about to start.

5) Your senior season was one of the best all-time in Friartown, you scored 763 points (fourth best single-season mark), won a BIG EAST title, won the BIG EAST Tournament MVP honor, and scored 36 points against North Carolina in the NCAA Tournament in a near upset -- many people rank you as one of the top three players in the last 20 years at Providence, how do you view your four years at PC?

There are not enough words to define how I view my four years at Providence College. Every year brought new experiences that helped shape me as a person and as a player. I would say it represents the true underdog story. A kid who was fortunate enough to receive his one and only scholarship just before school started; eventually having one of the best college careers in school history. The icing on the cake was being a part of the school's second BIG EAST title in my final year. There was no better way to conclude that four-year journey with the school that gave me my only opportunity, which changed my life forever.

6) Do you still follow the Friars and stay in touch with some of your former teammates?

I always keep tabs on the Friars and how their season is progressing. Friartown will always be a part of me. One of these days I will show up to a game. I still keep in touch with a few of my teammates and even some that came shortly after me. We may not talk all the time but whenever we do, or if we are working out on campus in the summer, it's all love.

7) What's the up next for Bryce?

I'm enjoying all the great things happening in my life personally and professionally. Newest on the list for me is becoming a parent. Being a new father, I just hope I'm able to remain athletic and super skilled long enough so that by the time my daughter is old enough to watch the games, she will think her dad's still "got it" – ha, ha, ha!

8) Any final thoughts or things you want to tell the fans?

I would like to thank the fans for showing me so much love and support throughout my time at PC and continuing to show me the same love and support as a professional. It's never gone unnoticed by me and I hope that they enjoyed my time with them at Providence as much as I did.

Upcoming Event: Men's Basketball versus Nebraska on November 7, 2026 at TBA

Providence College Athletics

Hear From Friar Basketball Great Bryce Cotton '14

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