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
AN AMERICAN basketball hopeful who had never heard of AFL before this year could join the Kangaroos next week.
Eric Wallace is three days into a 10-day trial with North Melbourne in the hope of being listed as an international rookie.
Wallace is 197cm and 105kg and impressed scouts with his athleticism at the draft camp in October, finishing fourth in the vertical leap and top 10 in the sprint.
He returned home to Seattle unsure of his future but received a call from the Roos last week.
"I had a call on Wednesday asking if I could come back out. I got on the plane on Friday morning and got to Australia on Sunday," Wallace told the Kangaroos website.
"It's a two-day travel but it's worth it when you look at the opportunity."
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.
Now he's learning the ropes at Arden St, where his favourite part of training has been wrestling with ruckman Daniel Currie.
Making the AFL is still a long shot, but Wallace, 23, 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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