Check out North Melbourne's prospect former US Basketballer Eric Wallace in a college game.
American Eric Wallace in action at the draft camp. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: Herald Sun
NORTH Melbourne has signed US college basketball player Eric Wallace following a 10-day trial with the club.
Kangaroos coach Brad Scott said Wallace, 23, was "keen to make a success" of his transition from college basketball to an AFL rookie.
The 197cm utility, who describes Canadian Mike Pyke's break out Grand Final as an "inspiring story", impressed scouts with his athleticism at the draft camp in October, finishing fourth in the vertical leap and top 10 in the sprint.
Wallace trained with the Roos last week as part of a 10-day trial.
"At the moment he's got the physical attributes to play multiple positions," Scott said.
"It's really exciting for us to see just how far we can take Eric."
Scott said Wallace would forge his AFL path in the VFL reserves.
"I was most pleased with the ovation he got from the rest of the list. They're happy to have him here," he said.
Wallace said he was grateful for the opportunity to be a part of the club.
"Four or five years ago he was in the same situation as me, playing a different football code – I was playing basketball – but not having not much skill in the game of AFL and in the Grand Final he helped his team to a victory and he looked superb out there," he told SEN this morning.
"I'd love to continue being a professional athlete, I'm looking at this as a new opportunity.
"I just want to become an asset to the Kangaroos and say I did it," he said.
Wallace could become the third American born player to make an AFL debut after Sanford Wheeler (43 games, Sydney Swans between 1989-94) and Don Pyke (132 games, West Coast between 1989-96).
Collingwood recently de-listed ruckman Shae McNamara after the Milwaukee native spent three years on the rookie list unable to break into the senior team.
McNamara played one game during the Magpies 2011 NAB Cup campaign.
From Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Wallace originally had his eye on the NBA draft.
But after stints at three colleges in five years, the latest at Seattle University, his hopes of a professional basketball career - in the US or overseas - seemed shot.
That was when he was invited to Los Angeles for a camp for potential international AFL recruits.
"I didn't know the rules," Wallace told cbssports.com. "I was confused."
But he stayed up all night watching tapes of games and did well enough to be invited to the draft camp in Melbourne, where he was the standout international.
Making the AFL is still a long shot, but Wallace has never been one to give up on a dream.
"I'm really falling in love with the game, getting addicted," Wallace said. "More than I could have ever imagined.
"I was going hard right. But then the AFL approached me and I decided to take a step to the left. It's not basketball, but it's still being a professional athlete."
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