NBA fancy Alex Condon's commitment to Collingwood is likely to amount for nothing as the 20-year-old continues his meteoric rise to the top basketball competition.
Condon - who is eligible as a Category B recruit - was considered as an AFL draftee in 2022, but opted to follow his dream of being in the NBA.
The Perth product stopped playing football in late 2021 and turned all his attention to basketball, while the Pies remained keen to lure him to the rival code if things didn't pan out the way he wanted.
Condon committed to the Victorian powerhouse in April of 2023 after both Sydney and Geelong had shown past interest.
The 211cm tall had spent time at the Pies' HQ in the lead-up to his commitment, with the club lodging paperwork to sign him as a Category B Rookie.
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However, Condon's NBA draft stocks have begun rising, with the Florida sophomore putting together a career-best performance this week against Alabama.
He now sits firmly in the frame for a first-round selection in the NBA draft that's set to be held in June at the Barclays Centre in Brooklyn.
The Gators have an astonishing 26-4 record in the NCAA men's basketball league, sitting second in the Southeastern bracket of the competition.
Alex Condon’s commitment to Collingwood as a Category B rookie looks increasingly likely to amount to nothing.
The 211cm 20yo continues to rise up the NBA draft boards of experts. Yesterday he had a career-high College performance https://t.co/VAj0AsFdfe
— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) March 6, 2025
Collingwood has had previous success with Category B Rookies, namely premiership ruck-forward Mason Cox and Irishman Marty Clarke.
AFL clubs are allowed up to three players under the unique rookie status but must fall under the following 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.