AFL powerhouse Richmond have signed former basketballer Oliver Hayes-Brown as a Category B rookie.
Hayes-Brown, who stands at an imposing 208cm and tips the scales at 114kg, spent two years at the Perth Wildcats in the NBL where he was mostly a development player.
He has played a total of 13 NBL games, but hasn’t seen much game time.
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The 23-year-old has also been playing for the Keilor Thunder in the 2023 NBL1 South season where he is averaging 15 points and eight rebounds a game.
7NEWS reporter Mitch Cleary revealed Richmond will be taking a punt on the untried prospect.
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Oliver Hayes-Brown in action for the Wildcats. Credit: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images
Clubs are able to sign Category B rookies directly with Hayes-Brown qualifying as a player coming from a non-traditional background and not being registered to play Aussie Rules for three years.
The Tigers have had previous success with ex-basketballers with Ivan Soldo joining the club as a Category B rookie back in 2014.
After giving up his basketball career, Soldo has gone on to play 56 games for the Tigers, including being a member of the 2019 premiership side.
Mate Colina is another ex-basketballer on the list, although the 213cm giant has yet to get a taste of senior football.
North Melbourne veteran Hugh Greenwood is arguably the most successful former basketballer in the AFL, having racked up 118 games with Adelaide, Gold Coast at the Kangaroos.
Greenwood signed a contract with the Perth Wildcasts in 2015, but left just a month later to pursue a career in the AFL.
The Tigers missed the finals for the second time in three years and endured a nightmare campaign with three-time premiership coach Damien Hardwick’s shock resignation midway through the year.
Andrew McQualter performed admirably as caretaker and remains in the mix to secure the top job on a full-time basis.
Former captain Chris Newman is another name being discussed with the club expected to make an appointment within a month.
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