Adelaide has announced the signing of basketball talent Indy Cotton as a Category B Rookie.
Cotton spent the past week in China at a basketball training camp run by NBA superstar Steph Curry, and has represented Australia in his elite junior playing days.
It was reported in May that Cotton had eight AFL clubs inquiring about his footballing prospects, with Brisbane, Geelong, West Coast, Port Adelaide, Gold Coast, and Essendon linked to the pursuit of his rights.
However, the Crows won his signature, successfully luring the South Australian to West Lakes.
Justin Reid, the Crows’ GM of List Management, praised Indy as an exciting talent with the potential of making an impact in the AFL.
“We’re delighted to be Indy’s club of choice,” Reid said.
“He’s an extremely talented kid who, despite a few years out of the game, has all the ingredients to succeed at AFL level.
“His footballing pedigree is clearly evident from his father, and we firmly believe he can be a hugely valuable addition to our squad.”
His father, Jarrod, a member of Port Adelaide’s inaugural squad in 1997, spent the bulk of his playing days in the SANFL before transitioning into coaching.
Category B Rookies are distinct from regular rookie players, with clubs able to add up to three additional players through this mechanism.
Prospects fall under the Cat B banner if they (according to the AFL rules):
has not registered in an Australian Football competition for three years immediately before inclusion on the Rookie List;
is an international player, meaning he is not an Australian citizen and has not lived in Australia for a substantial period;
is a former NSW Scholarship player with that club;
is a former International Scholarship player with that club;
is a rookie Zone Selection for clubs based in NSW or Queensland.