THE AFL has landed another blow over basketball with former junior prodigy Tom Wilson opting for a career in football – just six weeks after his Australian Boomers debut.

AFL.com.au understands the 21-year-old is set to decide on a multi-year contract with an AFL club as a Category B rookie in coming weeks.

Collingwood, Geelong and Gold Coast have emerged as the frontrunners for Wilson's services with several others showing significant interest.

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Standing at 194cm, Wilson is seen as an AFL wingman or third tall forward in waiting and will be able to join a club full-time this November.

His call to quit basketball comes after limited opportunities for the Sydney Kings in the NBL in the 2018-19 season.

Wilson recently informed the Kings of his decision to pursue a football contract.

His move to join the stable of Connors Sports Management also fast-tracked interest from AFL clubs, having been previously managed by USA-based agent Daniel Moldovan.

Despite representing the Boomers in FIBA World Cup qualifiers in February, Wilson's hopes of heading to next year's Olympics were seen as thin with Australia set to unveil its strongest ever line-up of international-based stars.

Wilson was linked to a move to football in June last year before rejecting any suggestions, saying he was "completely committed to basketball."

Wilson has been no stranger to football through his junior years.

He was previously named in the AIS-AFL Academy in 2014 after impressing at the 2013 NAB AFL Under-16 Championships for Vic Metro.

However, the then-Sandringham Dragon removed himself from the AFL process to focus on basketball where he captained Australia at under-17 and under-19 level.

Stints at US Colleges followed before he returned last year to sign under basketball legend Andrew Gaze at the Sydney Kings.

As has previously been the case with Mason Cox at Collingwood and Mark Blicavs at Geelong, Category B rookie contracts fall outside of the AFL salary cap.

With Cox now elevated to the senior list, the Pies currently have three Category B rookies – former basketball Jack Madgen and Irish duo Mark Keane and Anton Tohill.

Any move for Wilson at season's end would mean one of that trio would need to be made a standard rookie or be elevated to the senior list with clubs only allowed a maximum of three Category B rookies.

Wilson used Geelong's training facilities last year ahead of the NBL season with his girlfriend's family owning a house in nearby Ocean Grove.

While Blicavs' growth from Category B rookie has seen him claim two club best and fairests, the Cats have also used the process to unearth Irishman and AFL-regular Mark O'Connor.

Geelong (Stefan Okunbor and Blake Schlensog) and Gold Coast (Jacob Heron and Jacob Dawson) each currently have two Category B rookies.

Other recent Category B successes from rival sports include Adelaide pair Hugh Greenwood (basketball) and Alex Keath (cricket). 

Wilson's former Australian teammate Matt Owies, who last year signed with Carlton, was one of six basketballers who made the switch to football in 2018. 

Melbourne won the race for highly touted big man Austin Bradtke, Brisbane landed former Brisbane Bullet Tom Fullarton, Sam Alabakis joined St Kilda, while Patrick Bines and Brodie Riach signed with West Coast.