The Perth Wildcats hope departing star Hugh Greenwood goes on to win an AFL flag after the basketball star quit the NBL club in order to chase his football dream.
Greenwood was just two months into his three-year Wildcats deal when he told the club of his stunning decision to defect to a rival sport.
The 23-year-old, who has been scouted by AFL clubs in the past, will reportedly join the Adelaide Crows as a Category B rookie.
Wildcats chief executive Nick Marvin admits Greenwood's exit has left the club with a big hole to fill ahead of the NBL season opener on October 10.
But he wished Greenwood all the best.
"We want Hugh to succeed," Marvin said on Friday.
"We want him to be the best AFL player to have ever played basketball.
"We want to see an ex-Wildcat win a Championship for the AFL team he plays for."
Dean Brogan won an NBL championship with the Adelaide 36ers in 1998 before snaring an AFL flag with Port Adelaide in 2004.
Greenwood played representative football for Tasmania during his junior years.
But a career in basketball seemed to be his destiny after he was snapped up on an AIS scholarship when he was 15.
The talented guard enjoyed a successful college career with the University of New Mexico, before inking his three-year deal with the Wildcats.
Although Greenwood dreamed of forging an NBA career, football has always been in the back of his mind.
His grandfather Peter Marquis played 99 games with VFL club Melbourne, including their hat-trick of flags from 1955-57.
The Wildcats thought they had secured a vital piece of their championship puzzle after signing Greenwood.
But the six-times champions will now have to look far and wide for a replacement.
"We perform best when we are a wounded animal," Marvin said.
"Right now we aren't quite a wounded animal, but we are on the back foot, no question about it.
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