COLLEGE basketballer Oscar Berry has committed to joining Melbourne as a Category B rookie in 2026.

The 23-year-old will join the Demons at the start of pre-season after meeting with six clubs at the end of May before returning to the United States. 

Berry also underwent trials with North Melbourne, Essendon and the Western Bulldogs and met with Geelong and St Kilda, but it is understood Melbourne has beaten them to secure the code convert.  

Category B rookie spots sit outside a club's primary list and are open to players from diverse sporting and national backgrounds. Non-Australian citizens are eligible, as are athletes, like Berry, who have not been registered to play any Australian Football competition in the three years prior to signing.

The Demons have explored basketballers in the past under list manager Tim Lamb and recruiting boss Jason Taylor, most recently adding Kyah Farris-White in 2022, after signing Austin Bradtke in 2018, Corey Maynard in 2016 and Joel Smith in 2015.

Melbourne GM Alan Richardson, who started his coaching journey in the AFL as a development coach, was involved in Berry's trial at Casey Fields.

Berry will join Melbourne on a two-year contract.

The 194cm athlete is viewed as a mobile key defender in the mould of cricket convert James O'Donnnell at the Bulldogs, who Berry has studied and is modelling his game on.

O'Donnell has become a permanent fixture under Luke Beveridge at the Bulldogs, playing 40 games since being signed as a Category B rookie at the start of 2023.

Berry grew up in Australia and last played a game of footy for Aberfeldie in an under-16 Essendon Districts Football League Grand Final, after being selected in the Western Jets' under-15 program.

The Berry family moved to Florida when he was 16 after his father landed a job as director of sports science and performance at the IMG Academy. Jason Berry had also worked in high performance for West Coast and Essendon.

Oscar started his collegiate career at Fairleigh Dickenson University in New Jersey, before transferring to the University of North Florida in Jacksonville after one year, where he completed his degree in March.

He is the younger brother of former NFL punter Jordan Berry, who spent eight years with the Pittsburgh Steelers and Minnesota Vikings after progressing through the Calder Cannons. His other brother, Wilson, is currently the University of Kentucky punter.

Most Category B rookies are from Ireland, but clubs have been scouring cricket and basketball ranks across the past decade, aiming to unearth a free hit outside the draft.

College basketballers that have joined clubs as Category B rookies are predominantly project ruckmen. Collingwood has a unique agreement with Alex Condon, who played against Berry in a basketball game earlier this year, but has committed to remaining with the University of Florida for another season.

Berry is expected to return to Australia in September to start preparing for pre-season training with Melbourne in November.