Former Boomer Tom Wilson has cited Nathan Buckley and Scott Pendlebury as major reasons why he chose Collingwood for his cross-sport switch.
In a major coup for the Magpies and the AFL, the 21-year-old has given up a promising basketball career and signed with Collingwood as a category B rookie.
Wilson was also a highly-rated under-16 player in Australian Rules before initially concentrating on basketball.
He said over the last few years, "at least 10 or 12" AFL clubs made contact to sound him out.
But the Collingwood coach and their captain, who also was a promising junior basketballer, struck a chord with Wilson.
"I've formed a pretty special relationship with Bucks and obviously Scotty Pendlebury, having a similar path and background to me," Wilson said.
"For whatever reason, he (Buckley) took a bit of a special interest in my journey.
"It was pretty cool to have someone like that, the coach of the club, reach out and share those interests - I was pretty impressed.
"As soon as I let clubs know this was the path I was going to head down, he made some contact early on and I was lucky enough to have some really good conversations with him."
Wilson grew up a Collingwood supporter and said Pendlebury's outstanding AFL career is something he would love to emulate.
"He's someone I look at and obviously idolised him growing up," Wilson said.
"So to look at him and see what he's done ... I definitely draw a lot of inspiration from that.
"But also I guess I have a different skill set and I'm a different person."
Wilson made the call to switch sports last month, only a few weeks after his Boomers debut.
"It definitely made things hard, but in the end I decided I knew this is what I wanted to do," he said of making the national team.
Wilson said being able to stay at home around family and friends and the lure of an AFL career at Collingwood were big reasons for making the switch.
He also weighed up the prospects of Olympic selection next year or in 2024, against switching to the AFL now.
Wilson arrived at Collingwood on Monday and the 194cm talent has no idea yet when he will start playing, or in what position.
"I don't know and I don't really think the club knows how everything is going to go," he said.
"I don't even know what position I'm going to play ... there's going to be a lot for me to learn."
Wilson will probably play in the VFL later this season.
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