NBL: Greenwood bails on Perth, seeks AFL deal
The Perth Wildcats have been dealt with a significant conundrum just over a month out from the commencement of the 2015/16 NBL season.
Hugh Greenwood, one of the Wildcats' prized signings over the off-season, has decided that basketball is no longer the sport of choice, requesting to be released from the club in hope to start a new career in the AFL.
Greenwood signed his first professional contract with Perth after finishing up his collegiate career with New Mexico.
Managing director Nick Marvin didn't seem to take the news all that well, so close to the start of the season.
“Unfortunately Hugh Greenwood’s decision not to honour his contract poses a significant challenge for us. Whilst he leaves with our best wishes, it does require us to revise our recruiting strategy immediately,” he said.
“We made numerous decisions based on his commitment to us, so we are disappointed to lose him."
The loss of Greenwood now places a gaping hole in the backcourt for the 'Cats, while Damian Martin continues to battle a calf injury; one that excluded him from the Australian Boomers' latest two-game series with New Zealand.
With the talent pool of available NBL calibre players quickly decreasing, there is now just five open rosters spots left in the competition for the upcoming season.
Perth will head back to the drawing board in hope to conjour up another stellar guard, one that must be classified as a local player, with Casey Prather and Jermaine Beal already on the books.
Greenwood is the latest code hopper when it comes to basketballers plying their trade in the local Aussies Rules, with a plethora of AFL stars having basketball backgrounds in their junior years.
Dean Brogan poses as just one example.
With the trend set to continue due to specific skill sets and IQ, how does the Australian basketball landscape continue to steer players in the right direction?