Tassie AFL and basketball star Hugh Greenwood says he would not hesitate to join a Tasmanian NBL team

Talk of a Tasmanian NBL team has Hugh Greenwood considering his plans for his post-AFL career as he reveals what could have stopped him joining the AFL in the first place.

Hugh Greenwood left the NBL to take up an AFL career n 2017 but would love to return to Tasmania to play in an NBL team. Picture SARAH REED

DUAL code star Hugh Greenwood has declared his “dream” is to return to Tasmania to play basketball once his AFL career is finished – and had the state already been in the NBL he would not have switched sports.

A former American college standout who represented the Boomers, Greenwood signed with the Perth Wildcats in 2015 only to sensationally jump codes several weeks later, joining Adelaide as a category B rookie.

He made his senior debut in 2017 and was part of the grand final side which lost to Richmond.

Currently out of contract and weighing up his options, Greenwood is back in America with his partner on holiday.

Speaking to the Mercury ahead of the NBL Blitz starting tomorrow night, the 27-year-old said he would have no hesitation to return to the sport he initially made a name in, and hopes it will be at the top level with the state reinstated back into the NBL.

“I have always said I would love to play basketball one day, and the best-case scenario would be to play in Tasmania,” Greenwood said.

“Whether that’s with the Chargers or whether that’s with a new Tassie NBL team, that remains to be seen, but it’s no secret that whenever I’m done [with AFL] that will be what I plan to do.

“I’d also love to go into a playing-coaching mentor role, my dream is to come back and play basketball and to do that in Tasmania would be incredible.”

Hugh Greenwood in action for the Boomers against China in 2014.

Greenwood also confirmed had a Tasmanian team already been established, he would have returned home immediately after finishing his college career.

“If Tassie had an NBL team and I had the option of coming out of college, I definitely would have chosen Tassie and it would have been very hard to pack up and leave to play footy if there was such a good thing in Tassie.

“If I was to think about it, I doubt I ever would have gone to footy, I would have been more than happy being back in Tassie playing basketball.”

The Blitz, which unfolds across the state, will showcase not only some of the country’s best players but several potential future NBA stars in LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton.

Hugh Greenwood during his time with the New Mexico Lobos in 2015. Picture: Getty

Greenwood believes the decision of Ball and Hampton to play in the league instead of finishing their college careers proves just how recognised the competition is now.

“Even when I signed with Perth it was always a good league and there was great talent, but a lot of Australia’s best players were overseas and imports spent most of their time in Europe.

“Now there are big names coming to Australia and our league is being recognised on a global scale.

“I can say college was the best four years of my life, so for them to pass up college and come to Australia and know this is the next step in their development to make the NBA is huge.

“These aren’t guys that are fringe-level NBA, these are guys that are projected top-five picks, so it’s a big deal.

“It’s fantastic that they recognise that, we talk about it here in Australia how good our league is but I think that’s the proof in the pudding.”