Bryce Cotton reveals: "Something popped"

Bryce Cotton has spoken for the first time since suffering a serious rib injury in Perth’s loss to New Zealand.

The four-time MVP opened up on what looked an innocuous incident in Saturday night’s game, saying a return to playing is the last thing on his mind right now.

“It’s a rib injury, there’s no secret about that ... I think I did a pretty good number on it,” Cotton told 10 News Perth. 

“There’s no timeframe for how long I’m supposed to be out yet, but I’m in a bit of pain, so I’ve got to make sure I listen to my body through the process.

“Luckily no surgery, but basically the way it was described was a rib fracture, for lack of better terms, some cartilage popped off and my rib popped out of place, so it’s just dealing with whatever we have to do next.”

Wildcats superstar Bryce Cotton could be sidelined for up to a month as he battles fractured ribs that were also displaced. The MVP hurt himself two minutes into Saturday's game, and is still in plenty of pain | @PerthWildcats @NBL @10SportAU #NBL25 pic.twitter.com/gVuK3dTgXI

— 10 News First Perth (@10NewsFirstPER) October 22, 2024

Cotton said he was forced to sleep on his back and was in a lot of pain from the injury.

“It was up there (in terms of pain) ... if I had to deal with this rib or the thumb injuries I’ve had, I would take the thumb injuries any day of the week,” he said.

“Right now I’m not even thinking about playing, because it’s about monitoring the pain. 

“I’ve just got to be able to get back to daily movements in life, like being pain-free.”

Cotton said he’d be shown vision of a knock he’d copped in a game against Cairns the week previous, but wasn’t sure if it was related.

He went into the Breakers game feeling “amazing”.

“I guess for my own sanity I would like to think it (the previous knock) had something to do with it, but based off how I felt, I felt fine ... I would rather an explanation than me just driving to the basket, and it pops,” Cotton added.

“The first time I fell on the ground, I knew something popped, but when I felt for my rib nothing was sticking out and I thought maybe I would be OK.

“When I went up and back, my body told me it was a no.”

Cotton will make a recovery plan with the Wildcats’ team doctors this week.